Track 74

1. para que takes the mood tense Rule

Para alone, meaning in order to, is followed by a plain "to" form. Add que and you must use the mood tense.

para hablar

in order to speak

para que coman

so that they eat

Nos hemos encontrado para hablar · Hemos cocinado para que coman · Lo he hecho para que vuelvas · Lo han hecho para que volvamos

You cannot shortcut it: hemos cocinado para comer would mean we cooked in order for us to eat, which is a different sentence.

2. Some e's turn into i instead of splitting Rule

A third possibility alongside the splits you know. With a few verbs, a stressed e simply becomes an i.

elegir → elijo
to choose → I choose

eliges
you choose

elegimos
we choose, unstressed so unchanged

Elegir is related to elect, and election is elección.

3. New vocabulary Vocabulary

volver
to return, to come back (revolve)

revolver
to stir

encontrarse
to meet up, to find oneself

también
as well, also

Volver splits: vuelvo, vuelves. And romper is related to rupture, so also to corrupt, disrupt and erupt.

Nos hemos encontrado · Para que vuelvas · Para que tú también vuelvas

También is tan plus bien, with the n softened to m by the b. So it is a direct translation of English as well, even though neither phrase makes literal sense.

4. por for "on my behalf" Grammar

Another distinction between the two for words. Choosing for somebody in the sense of on their behalf is por. Choosing something that is literally for them is para.

No quiero que elijas por mí (don't take my decisions)

5. Keep the se when nothing else receives the action Heads-up

The same completeness rule as before, now inside the mood tense.

no quiero que se rompa

I don't want it to break

no quiero que lo rompa

I don't want him to break it

Without the se, we are left waiting to hear what gets broken.

6. para can shorten to pa Note

Depending on dialect, you may hear para que compressed to pa que. Whether it happens at all varies, but recognise it as just para.

Hemos hecho todo para que tú también vuelvas.