Learn Spanish (Latin America): Cuando dejes de usar el teléfono, tendrás cada vez menos distracciones. - When you stop using the phone, you will have fewer and fewer distractions.

Cuando dejes de usar el teléfono, tendrás cada vez menos distracciones.

When you stop using the phone, you will have fewer and fewer distractions.

Breakdown of Cuando dejes de usar el teléfono, tendrás cada vez menos distracciones.

Questions & Answers about Cuando dejes de usar el teléfono, tendrás cada vez menos distracciones.

Why do we use cada vez menos instead of "menos y menos" for "fewer and fewer"?

In English, we repeat the word to show a gradual change ("fewer and fewer" or "less and less"). In Spanish, we use the phrase cada vez (literally "each time") followed by más or menos. Here, cada vez menos distracciones means "fewer and fewer distractions".

Since distracciones is feminine and plural, shouldn't menos change to match it?

No, menos (meaning less or fewer) is invariable when used to indicate quantity. It never changes its ending to match the noun it modifies, so it stays menos whether the noun is masculine, feminine, singular, or plural.

Why is the verb dejes in the subjunctive here instead of the normal present tense dejas?

The word cuando (when) requires the subjunctive mood when you are talking about an event that hasn't happened yet. Because stopping the phone usage is a future condition in this sentence ("When you stop..."), we must use the subjunctive dejes.

How does dejes de usar translate to "you stop using"?

The verb dejar usually means "to leave," but when you use the phrase dejar de plus an infinitive verb (like usar), it means "to stop doing" something.