Breakdown of Cuando termine la ceremonia, ¡que empiece el festejo!
terminar
to finish / to end
empezar
to start / to begin
la
the (feminine)
cuando
when (statement)
Questions & Answers about Cuando termine la ceremonia, ¡que empiece el festejo!
Why do we use que empiece here instead of just empieza?
This is an indirect command or a strong wish. By putting que in front of the present subjunctive (empiece), you are saying 'let [something] happen.' It is the standard way in Spanish to express 'let the celebration begin!'
Why is termine in the subjunctive? I thought cuando was followed by the normal present tense.
Cuando is followed by the normal present tense (indicative) when you talk about habits or general facts. But when you use cuando to talk about a specific future event that has not happened yet, like this ceremony ending, you must use the subjunctive.
Why is empiece spelled with a 'c' when the dictionary verb is empezar?
In Spanish spelling rules, you generally do not write 'ze'. When you form the present subjunctive of empezar, the ending for el festejo (it) is -e. To keep the soft sound of the 'z', it must change to a 'c' before the letter 'e'. Notice it also has an e-to-ie stem change!
Why are the subjects (la ceremonia and el festejo) placed after the verbs instead of before?