Subjuntivo

[h_espinel]

Hi,
Does anyone know why the subjunctive is used in this sentence?

Acogiendo una llamada hecha por el gobierno para establecer las bases de un dialogo que permita solucionar el conflicto laboral, la empresa decidio nombrar un mediador.

Thank you!

[Perro Callejero]

This falls under the rule of a hypothetical/non-existant situation or thing. In this case, they are talking about a dialogue that has not happened yet, but rather is planned. They are going to establish it, but at this point it is hypothetical.

Subjunctive is used when describing hypothetical/non-existent situations.

Some more examples:

Busco un coche que tenga mucho espacio. (At this point I don't know if the car exists. It is hypothetical that it will fulfill my requirements).

--Conoces un estudiante que estudie muchas horas? (At this point, you don't know if this student exists. Hypothetical/nonexisten)
--Sí, conozco a un estudiante que estudia muchas horas. (Now the person responding DOES know the student, so it is no longer a hypothetical situation and indicative is used in stead of subjunctive).

Hope this helps! :)

[Legazpi]

To get a feel for it in English, it's a bit like saying:

"Following the government's call for the establishment of some kind of dialogue that may lead to a solution to the labour conflict...."

The translation ain't perfect but hopefully it highlights that the actual dialogue that takes place is unspecified/unknown/unimportant to the government, as long as it leads to a solution to the labour conflict.

Similarly, using Perro Callejero's example:

"Busco un coche que tenga mucho espacio" - I'm looking for any car that has a lot of space

i.e. it stresses that the car itself is unknown/unimportant to me, as long as it has a lot of space

[Ben]

Spot on answers above already :) A similar example is the following, that I learned when first tackling this aspect of the subjunctive.

Imagine you walk into a clothing store and say to the assistant:

Busco un jersey que tiene cremallera - (Indicative) - I'm looking for a jersey with a zip

In this first case, above, I know exactly which jersey with a zip that I'm looking for as I've seen it before in this store.

Busco un jersey que tenga cremallera - (Subjunctive) - I'm looking for a jersey with a zip

In this case I don't know if there are any jerseys with zips actually in the shop, but that's what I'm looking for. As I don't know if this exists or not, I use the subjunctive.

(Thought: As I never know what clothes I'm looking for, clothes shopping for me would obviously involve much use of the subjunctive... maybe that's why I avoid menswear stores!)

[gary]

Mrs C selects my stuff online, it arrives at the door, job done avoiding use of the subjunctive and visiting the shops...

[switch007]

That's a really good example ben, thanks!

[Ikibok]

Thanks for the example : )

I also can recommend a really good (free) lesson + exercises to learn : Spanish Subjuntivo (http://spanish.online-spanisch.com/subjuntivo.html)

Hasta Pronto
Iki:rolleyes:

[eldeano]

Hmm. :rolleyes:

[gastephen]

I think that you are perhaps using the phrase "really good" in some non-standard sense.

Dicho esto, sobre los gustos no hay nada escrito.

[lazarus1907]

Busco un jersey que tiene cremallera - (Indicative) - I'm looking for a jersey with a zip

In this first case, above, I know exactly which jersey with a zip that I'm looking for as I've seen it before in this store.

Busco un jersey que tenga cremallera - (Subjunctive) - I'm looking for a jersey with a zip

In this case I don't know if there are any jerseys with zips actually in the shop, but that's what I'm looking for. As I don't know if this exists or not, I use the subjunctive.

In a nutshell: if you use indicative, you declare that there is a pullover with a zp; if you use indicative, you don't declare it (you don't go declaring the existence of things you are trying find, hoping that they exist).

[greytop]

In a nutshell: if you use indicative, you declare that there is a pullover with a zp; if you use indicative, you don't declare it (you don't go declaring the existence of things you are trying find, hoping that they exist).You used "indicative" twice on - it does not make much sense

[katia1]

You used "indicative" twice on - it does not make much sense

Hello all

I thought the same, but I think it is a typing mistake. The second one is "subjuntive", and the whole sentence makes perfect sense.

Just another point, reading the sentence in question...

Acogiendo una llamada hecha por el gobierno para establecer las bases de un dialogo que permita solucionar el conflicto laboral, la empresa decidio nombrar un mediador.

I don´t know where it is writen, but for me it would be more correct on any of these ways...

1.Acogiendo una llamada hecha por el gobierno para establecer las bases de un dialogo que permita solucionar el conflicto laboral, la empresa ha decidido nombrar un mediador

2.Acogiendo una llamada hecha por el gobierno para establecer las bases de un dialogo que permitiera solucionar el conflicto laboral, la empresa decidió nombrar un mediador-

(la concordancia verbal es mejor en cualquiera de las dos últimas opciones, dependiendo la elección entre ambas del tiempo de la acción)

[barry]

Hello all

que permitiera solucionar

Tus comentarios son muy interesantes. Pero yo he visto todo, permita, permitiera, permitiría, permitirá hasta permitía. Me parece " --que permita solucionar-- " es casi una expresión fijada, y en este contexto, la que se usa con más frecuencia por todas partes.

Saludos