Breakdown of Hago el trabajo siempre que el pago sea adelantado.
ser
to be
hacer
to do / to make
el trabajo
work
que
that / than
siempre que
as long as / provided that
el pago
the payment
adelantado
in advance / early (ahead of schedule)
Questions & Answers about Hago el trabajo siempre que el pago sea adelantado.
Why is sea used here instead of es?
The phrase siempre que means 'provided that' or 'as long as' in this context. It introduces a strict condition that must be met for the work to happen. Phrases that set strict conditions always trigger the subjunctive mood, which is why we use sea instead of the indicative es.
Doesn't siempre que usually mean 'whenever'? How do I know which one it is?
It can mean both! The trick is to look at the verb that follows it. If siempre que is followed by the normal indicative mood, it means 'whenever' (a habitual fact). Because this sentence uses the subjunctive sea, it changes the meaning to 'provided that' or 'as long as'.
Could I swap siempre que for con tal de que in this sentence?
Yes, absolutely. You could say con tal de que el pago sea adelantado or siempre y cuando el pago sea adelantado. All three phrases are interchangeable ways to express a strict condition, and all of them require the subjunctive.
Why use sea (from ser) and not esté (from estar) with adelantado?
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