Breakdown of Quiero vender la propiedad cuando la inflación baje.
querer
to want
vender
to sell
cuando
when (statement)
bajar
to go down / to lower
Questions & Answers about Quiero vender la propiedad cuando la inflación baje.
Why is baje in the subjunctive here?
We use the subjunctive after cuando when referring to an action or event that hasn't happened yet. Since the speaker is waiting for inflation to drop in the future, we need the present subjunctive baje. If it were a habitual action (meaning 'whenever inflation drops'), you would use the indicative baja.
Since this acts like a condition for selling, could I use si (if) instead of cuando with the same verb?
You cannot use si with the present subjunctive. If you wanted to say 'if inflation drops', you must use the present indicative: si la inflación baja. In Spanish, si is never followed by the present subjunctive, which is a common trap for learners since cuando requires it for future conditions.
Why is there a la before inflación when the English translation just says 'inflation'?
In Spanish, abstract nouns and words representing a broad, general concept require a definite article (el, la, los, las). Because we are talking about inflation as a general economic concept, it must be la inflación.
What is the infinitive of baje and is it the standard verb to use for financial drops?