what is it?
Temporal clauses link two events or states in time. Spanish uses a small set of connectors to do this: cuando (when), antes de (before), después de (after), desde / desde que / desde hace (since / for), and hasta (until). Each connector has its own grammatical requirements — particularly whether it is followed by a conjugated verb, an infinitive, or a noun phrase — so they must be learned as distinct patterns.
when to use it
cuando + present indicative — use this to describe a habitual or repeated situation: something that always or usually happens whenever a condition is met. Both the time clause and the main clause are in the present indicative.
antes de / después de + infinitive — use these when the subject of both clauses is the same person or thing. The connector is followed directly by an infinitive, not a conjugated verb.
desde + point in time — use this to mark the starting point of a situation that continues into the present (e.g. a year, a date, or a named event).
desde hace + length of time — use this to express how long a situation has been going on, measured as a duration (e.g. three years, two months). The main verb stays in the present tense.
hasta + noun phrase / time expression — use this to mark the endpoint of an action or state, equivalent to «until» or «up to» in English.
formation
The table below shows the structure of each connector and what follows it.
| connector | followed by | example structure |
|---|---|---|
| cuando | present indicative | cuando + verb (present) + … |
| antes de | infinitive | antes de + infinitive + … |
| después de | infinitive | después de + infinitive + … |
| desde | point in time (noun/date) | desde + year / event |
| desde hace | length of time (noun phrase) | desde hace + number + time unit |
| hasta | noun phrase or time expression | hasta + las nueve / el lunes |
Note the accent: cuando (no accent) is the temporal conjunction used in statements. Cuándo (with accent) is the interrogative adverb used in questions and indirect questions: «¿Cuándo llegas?» / «No sé cuándo llega».
examples in context
common pitfalls
Conjugated verb after antes de / después de. When the subject is the same in both clauses, these connectors require an infinitive, not a conjugated verb. ✗ Antes de salgo, apago las luces. → ✓ Antes de salir, apago las luces.
Desde vs. desde hace. Use desde with a fixed point in time (a year, a date), and desde hace with a length of time (a number of years, months, etc.). ✗ Vivo aquí desde tres años. → ✓ Vivo aquí desde hace tres años.
Missing accent on cuándo in questions. The conjunction cuando (no accent) introduces time clauses in statements. The interrogative cuándo (with accent) is required in direct and indirect questions. ✗ No sé cuando llega. → ✓ No sé cuándo llega.