When sharing a workspace, you often need to establish ground rules. You can set ongoing conditions—things allowed as long as a rule is followed—using mientras.
You likely know mientras as "while." But paired with the present subjunctive, it means "as long as."
| The studio is available as long as you respect the schedule. | El estudio está disponible mientras respetes el horario. |
| It doesn't bother me as long as you clean the common space. | No me molesta mientras limpies el espacio común. |
The verbs following mientras—like respetes and limpies—are in the present subjunctive because they represent a requirement that must be met, not an established fact.
This structure is perfect for setting boundaries around personal equipment:
| You can sit at the desk as long as it is not mine. | Puedes sentarte en el escritorio mientras no sea el mío. |
| You can use my material as long as you restock it tomorrow. | Puedes usar mi material mientras lo repongas mañana. |
| I will lend you the printer as long as you restock the ink. | Te presto la impresora mientras repongas la tinta. |
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