Expressing purpose with "a que"
When you go somewhere to have someone else do something for you—like dropping off your boots at the cobbler—you can express the purpose of your trip using a verb of motion, followed by a que and the subjunctive.
Verb of motion + a que + subjunctive
Common verbs of motion include ir (to go), venir (to come), traer (to bring), and llevar (to take). We use the subjunctive because the action is a desired outcome that hasn't happened yet.
| I come to the cobbler to have him fix my heel. | Vengo al zapatero a que me arregle el tacón. |
| I bring these boots to have the sole mended. | Traigo estas botas a que me remiende la suela. |
Change of subject
Notice that we use a que + subjunctive when there is a change of subject. The person moving (I) is different from the person performing the action (the cobbler). If you were going to fix the shoes yourself, you would simply use a + infinitive (e.g., Vengo a arreglar = I come to fix).
Here are a few more examples using different verbs of motion:
| I take the shoes to have them polished with that shoe polish. | Llevo los zapatos a que los lustren con ese betún. |
| I return to the store to have the seam mended. | Regreso a la tienda a que me remienden la costura. |
| I go up to the workshop to have my boots stretched and polished. | Subo al taller a que me ensanchen y lustren las botas. |