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Spanish: AQA A Level, topic 16.20.1
Para que y sin que - So that and without
El subjuntivo tras conjunciones
- Spanish uses the subjunctive after certain conjunctions.
- The subjunctive is a verb form used for wishes, doubts and purposes.
- Two of these conjunctions are para que and sin que.
- Para que means 'so that' and sin que means 'without'.
- Both conjunctions introduce a second clause with a different subject from the first clause.
- The subjunctive appears because the second clause describes a purpose or something uncertain.
Para que
- Te doy la llave para que entres en casa.
- I give you the key so that you can get into the house.
- Mis padres trabajan para que yo pueda estudiar.
- My parents work so that I can study.
- The verb after para que changes to match the new subject.
- In the first example, the subject changes from 'yo' (I) to 'tú' (you).
Sin que
- Carlos salió de la habitación sin que nadie lo viera.
- Carlos left the room without anyone seeing him.
- No puedo terminar el proyecto sin que tú me ayudes.
- I cannot finish the project without you helping me.
- Sin que always needs the subjunctive here.
- The subject of the second clause differs from the subject of the first clause.
Para/sin + infinitivo
- When the subject stays the same, Spanish does not use the subjunctive.
- Instead, Spanish uses para or sin plus an infinitive.
- An infinitive is a verb's basic, unconjugated form, such as 'hablar' or 'comer'.
- Estudio para aprobar el examen.
- I study in order to pass the exam.
- Mi hermano salió sin decir nada.
- My brother left without saying anything.
- Both examples have only one subject, so no subjunctive clause with 'que' is needed.
Test yourself on Coming Soon
Choose the statement that is true about the subjunctive after para que and sin que.
What does para que mean in Spanish?
Why does sin que take the subjunctive in Carlos salió de la habitación sin que nadie lo viera?
Which word correctly completes Mi hermano salió ___ decir nada, given that my brother is the subject of both leaving and saying nothing?