Breakdown of Yo necesitaba las correcciones para cuando el manuscrito estuviera listo.
yo
I
necesitar
to need
estar
to be (location/state)
listo
ready
para
for
cuando
when (statement)
el manuscrito
the manuscript
la corrección
the correction
Questions & Answers about Yo necesitaba las correcciones para cuando el manuscrito estuviera listo.
Why do we use the imperfect subjunctive (estuviera) here instead of the present subjunctive (esté)?
The phrase para cuando sets a deadline. Because the main verb is in the past (necesitaba), the deadline is viewed from the past. At that time, the manuscript being ready was an anticipated event that had not happened yet. Since the context is past tense, the subjunctive must also be in the past tense (estuviera).
Could I use the indicative here and say para cuando el manuscrito estaba listo?
Only if you are stating a completed fact. If you say estaba listo, it means 'by the time the manuscript was actually ready' and shifts the meaning to describing what factually happened in the end. Using estuviera keeps the focus on the anticipated deadline as a condition of your past need.
Why use the imperfect tense (necesitaba) for the main verb instead of the preterite (necesité)?
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