Breakdown of Nos vemos a las ocho, salvo si me escribís antes.
escribir
to write
ocho
eight
a
at (a time)
me
to me / myself (reflexive) / me (direct object)
nos
to us / ourselves / us (direct object)
si
if
antes
before
verse
to see each other
salvo
except, barring
Questions & Answers about Nos vemos a las ocho, salvo si me escribís antes.
Why is the present tense nos vemos used here instead of the future tense nos veremos?
In Spanish, the present tense is frequently used to talk about fixed plans in the near future. Saying nos vemos (literally 'we see each other') sounds much more natural and definite for confirming a plan than the future tense nos veremos.
Why is escribís in the indicative mood? Doesn't a condition like 'except if' require the subjunctive?
This is a highly specific rule. While the phrase a menos que (unless) always requires the subjunctive, the phrases salvo si and excepto si (except if) take the indicative when talking about a possible future condition. They follow the exact same rule as a standard si (if) clause.
Could I use a menos que instead of salvo si to mean 'unless'?
Yes, but you would need to change the verb mood! Because a menos que forces the subjunctive, you would have to say a menos que me escribáis. Using salvo si is a nice trick because it allows you to stick to the indicative escribís (the vosotros form).
Why does the sentence end with just antes rather than antes de?
Antes is used on its own as an adverb meaning 'beforehand' or 'before then'. You only use antes de when it is directly followed by the specific noun, pronoun, or infinitive that it relates to (for example, antes de las ocho).
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