Learn Spanish (Latin America): Todavía no hemos preparado el folleto para cuando empiece el lanzamiento. - We have not yet prepared the brochure for when the launch begins.

Todavía no hemos preparado el folleto para cuando empiece el lanzamiento.

We have not yet prepared the brochure for when the launch begins.

Breakdown of Todavía no hemos preparado el folleto para cuando empiece el lanzamiento.

Questions & Answers about Todavía no hemos preparado el folleto para cuando empiece el lanzamiento.

Why do we use the subjunctive empiece after para cuando here?

The phrase para cuando sets a future deadline. Because the launch has not actually happened yet, it is an anticipated event. In Spanish, temporal clauses referring to the future always require the subjunctive.

Could I use the indicative empieza instead?

You would only use the indicative empieza if you were talking about a habitual action, such as "We never have it ready for when the launch begins." Because this sentence refers to a specific future launch, you must use the subjunctive.

Is para cuando best translated as "for when" or "by the time"?

It translates literally to "for when," which works well here, but it frequently translates more naturally to "by the time." Both English phrases perfectly capture the sense of a deadline that para cuando establishes.

Why use the present perfect hemos preparado instead of the simple past?

The present perfect hemos preparado connects the incomplete action to the present moment. This pairs naturally with todavía no (not yet), emphasizing that as of right now, the preparation is still undone ahead of the upcoming deadline.

Why does the spelling change to a "c" in empiece?