Unless Something Changes
When making plans, you often need to state what will happen "unless" a condition changes. In Spanish, there are several negative conditional linkers to express an exception to a plan.
The most common phrases for "unless" are:
- a menos que
- a no ser que
Because these linkers introduce a hypothetical situation that might not happen, they are always followed by the subjunctive mood.
| We are going to cancel the flight unless it stops raining. | Vamos a cancelar el vuelo a menos que deje de llover. |
| We always travel on Tuesdays, unless an unforeseen event arises. | Siempre viajamos los martes, a menos que surja un imprevisto. |
Schedule Changes and Backup Plans
These expressions are especially helpful when talking about altering schedules, such as rescheduling (reprogramar) or postponing (aplazar) due to an unforeseen event (un imprevisto).
| We have to reschedule the trip, unless you accept the modification. | Tenemos que reprogramar el viaje, a no ser que aceptes la modificación. |
| I usually postpone my appointments unless they are urgent. | Suelo aplazar mis citas a no ser que sean urgentes. |
Using "salvo que"
You can also use salvo que to mean "unless." It works exactly like a menos que and a no ser que, setting a firm boundary and requiring the subjunctive.
| The boss does not cancel meetings unless he is sick. | El jefe no cancela las reuniones salvo que esté enfermo. |
| We are postponing the congress to April unless she finishes the project. | Aplazamos el congreso a abril salvo que ella termine el proyecto. |
Your questions are stored by us to improve Elon.io