Breakdown of Por favor, firmen el acuerdo de la mudanza cuando lleguen.
de
of
llegar
to arrive
cuando
when
por favor
please
firmar
to sign
la mudanza
the move
el acuerdo
the agreement
Elon.io is an online learning platform
We have an entire course teaching Spanish grammar and vocabulary.
Questions & Answers about Por favor, firmen el acuerdo de la mudanza cuando lleguen.
Why is it firmen and not firma or firme?
Because it’s a command addressed to more than one person: the ustedes imperative. In Latin America, ustedes is used for any plural “you” (formal or informal). Imperatives for -ar verbs use the present-subjunctive endings: firmar → (usted) firme / (ustedes) firmen. For a negative command: no firmen.
Why is it lleguen after cuando, not llegan or a future like llegarán?
With time conjunctions like cuando referring to a future or not-yet-realized event, Spanish uses the present subjunctive: cuando lleguen. Use the indicative for habitual or past facts:
- Habitual: Cuando llegan, firman.
- Past: Cuando llegaron, firmaron.
Could I say al llegar instead of cuando lleguen?
Yes. Por favor, firmen el acuerdo de la mudanza al llegar. It’s a concise “upon arriving.” Both are natural; al llegar sounds slightly more procedural/sign-like.
How would it change if I’m speaking to one person?
- Formal singular (usted): Por favor, firme el acuerdo de la mudanza cuando llegue.
- Informal singular (tú): Por favor, firma el acuerdo de la mudanza cuando llegues. Note: In some countries that use vos, commands vary (e.g., firmá), so check local usage.
How would this be said in Spain with vosotros?
Por favor, firmad el acuerdo de la mudanza cuando lleguéis. Spain uses vosotros for informal plural; ustedes is reserved for formal plural there.
Is acuerdo de la mudanza the most natural phrase? Would contrato be better?
Both are possible, but they differ:
- acuerdo = agreement/arrangement (can be less formal).
- contrato = contract (legal document).
If it’s a formal service contract with a moving company, contrato de mudanza is often clearer. Acuerdo de la mudanza suggests an agreement about the move (possibly less formal).
Why de la and not del? And could it be just de mudanza?
del = de + el, but mudanza is feminine, so it’s de la. Use de la mudanza when you mean a specific, known move. Drop the article (de mudanza) for a general type: “a moving agreement” in general.
Where do object pronouns go with a command like “sign it,” and do I need an accent?
- Affirmative: attach the pronoun(s) to the verb and add an accent to keep the original stress: Fírmenlo (sign it).
- Negative: place pronoun(s) before the verb: No lo firmen.
Here, lo matches el acuerdo (masc. sing.).
Where should por favor go, and do I need commas?
Common placements:
- At the start: Por favor, firmen… (comma after).
- At the end: Fírmenlo, por favor.
No comma is needed before cuando here because the time clause follows the main clause. If the cuando clause comes first: Cuando lleguen, firmen… (comma after the clause).
Why is it spelled lleguen with gu?
Orthography: to keep a hard “g” sound before e/i, Spanish inserts u. So llegar → llegue / lleguen (hard g), not “lege/legen.”
Can I say cuando hayan llegado?
Yes: Por favor, firmen… cuando hayan llegado emphasizes completion (“once you have arrived”), slightly later than the moment of arrival. Cuando lleguen focuses on the time they arrive.
Do I need to include the subject ustedes?
No. It’s normally omitted because the verb form (firmen, lleguen) already indicates ustedes. You can add it for emphasis or clarity: Ustedes, firmen… cuando ustedes lleguen.
Are both verbs in the subjunctive?
Forms: firmen is the ustedes imperative (which uses the present-subjunctive form), and lleguen is present subjunctive triggered by cuando. So they look alike, but firmen functions as a command; lleguen expresses a future/uncertain time.
Is a personal a needed before el acuerdo?
No. The personal a marks human (or personified) direct objects. El acuerdo is an inanimate thing, so it’s simply firmen el acuerdo, not “firmen a el acuerdo.”
What other time conjunctions like cuando trigger the subjunctive for future events?
Common ones:
- en cuanto: En cuanto lleguen, firmen…
- tan pronto como: Tan pronto como lleguen, firmen…
- apenas (LA): Apenas lleguen, firmen…
- hasta que (when it refers to a future point): No firmen hasta que lleguen.