Log inSign up

Una vez que firmes el contrato, ya no podrás cambiarlo.

Una vez que firmes el contrato, ya no podrás cambiarlo.
Once you sign the contract, you won't be able to change it anymore.
From Lesson 468:Once and as soon as (una vez que, apenas)·Spanish (Spain)

Questions & Answers about Una vez que firmes el contrato, ya no podrás cambiarlo.

Why is firmes in the subjunctive here instead of the indicative firmas?
We use the subjunctive after time expressions like una vez que (once) when referring to a future, pending action. Because the signing hasn't happened yet, the subjunctive firmes is required.
Could I drop the que and just say una vez firmes?
No, you need que to connect una vez to a conjugated verb like firmes. However, you can drop the que if you use a past participle instead, which is very common in Spanish: una vez firmado el contrato (once the contract is signed).
How does ya no work here to mean "anymore"?
Ya no literally means "already not," and it is the standard way to express "no longer" or "not anymore." Notice that unlike English, where "anymore" usually goes at the end of the sentence, ya no is placed right before the conjugated verb (podrás).
Could the pronoun lo go somewhere else in the sentence?
Yes! When you have a conjugated verb followed by an infinitive (like podrás cambiar), the object pronoun can either be attached to the end of the infinitive (cambiarlo) or placed right before the conjugated verb (ya no lo podrás cambiar). Both are completely natural in Spain.

Learn Una vez que firmes el contrato, ya no podrás cambiarlo and more in Spanish

All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.

  • ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
  • ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
  • ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free
Start learning Spanish →