# told her to accompany Eduardo



## Melania_3838

Carmen's mother told her to accompany eduardo to visit his grandparents

My try: La madre de Carmen le dijo a ella que acompañara a eduardo a visitar sus abuelos.


¿es correct?


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## SDLX Master

..que acompañe a Eduardo...


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## Melania_3838

O es mejor decir: La madre de Carmen le dijo a ella que acompañaría a Eduardo a visitar sus abuelos.


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## la_machy

Melania_3838 said:


> Carmen's mother told her to accompany eduardo to visit his grandparents
> 
> My try: La madre de Carmen le dijo a ella que acompañara a eduardo a visitar *a *sus abuelos.
> 
> ¿es correct?
> *Creo que así esta mejor*


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## SDLX Master

Melania_3838 said:


> O es mejor decir: La madre de Carmen le dijo a ella que acompañaría a Eduardo a visitar sus abuelos.


 
Your sentence would be:
Carmen's mother told her that she would accompany Eduardo to visit his grandparents.


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## Melania_3838

Gracias por tu respuesta, SDLX... Pero tengo una pregunta. ¿Por qué es mejor escribir en el presente subjuntivo que el imperfecto si la frase está escrito en el pasado?


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## gengo

SDLX Master said:


> ..que acompañe a Eduardo...



SDLX, doesn't changing to the subjunctive present make the sentence refer to something that hasn't occurred yet?  I agree that that is one possible interpretation of the original, but I think that "acompañara" is also correct, meaning that the accompanying was done in the past.


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## Melania_3838

Oh, ahora veo la diferencia entre las dos frases...Y Machy, muchas gracias!!


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## Melania_3838

Gengo, that is what I was wondering too. I just thought if you started off with a command in the past that you would finish the rest with past subjunctive rather than present...I would also like to know the diff.


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## SDLX Master

gengo said:


> SDLX, doesn't changing to the subjunctive present make the sentence refer to something that hasn't occurred yet? I agree that that is one possible interpretation of the original, but I think that "acompañara" is also correct, meaning that the accompanying was done in the past.


 
I am sorry to disagree with you Gengo. No matter how much I look at the sentence, there is no way it could possibly relate to a past action. Melania's original sentence refers to something that has not yet occurred; consequently, the correct Spanish usage should include the subjunctive "acompañe".


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## gengo

SDLX Master said:


> No matter how much I look at the sentence, there is no way it could possibly relate to a past action. Melania's original sentence refers to something that has not yet occurred; consequently, the correct Spanish usage should include the subjunctive "acompañe".



The original English most definitely includes the possibility of an action completed in the past.  In fact, that is by far the most likely scenario.

Carmen's mother told her (yesterday) to accompany Eduardo to visit his grandparents (yesterday).

It is also conceivable this way:

Carmen's mother told her (yesterday) to accompany Eduardo to visit his grandparents (today or tomorrow).

But without any other context, the first version is what pops into my mind first.


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## Melania_3838

Ok, so the difference is whether or not the action occurred already??

Isn't the fact that the mom already told the kid to go with eduardo an action that occurred already?


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## SDLX Master

This is what you are saying:



gengo said:


> The original English most definitely includes the possibility of an action completed in the past. In fact, that is by far the most likely scenario.
> 
> Carmen's mother told her (yesterday) to accompany Eduardo to visit his grandparents (yesterday). *La madre de Carmen le dijo (ayer) que acompañe a Eduardo a visitar a sus abuelos (ayer).*
> 
> It is also conceivable this way:
> 
> Carmen's mother told her (yesterday) to accompany Eduardo to visit his grandparents (today or tomorrow). *La madre de Carmen le dijo (ayer) que acompañe a Eduardo a visitar a sus abuelos (hoy).*
> 
> But without any other context, the first version is what pops into my mind first.


 
The only explicit past tense is found in *"told her"*, and what was told cannot happen before it was actually told in the first place. It either happens on the day or later.


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## SDLX Master

Melania_3838 said:


> Ok, so the difference is whether or not the action occurred already??
> 
> Isn't the fact that the mom already told the kid to go with eduardo an action that occurred already?


 
It is an order Melania, that is why it has not yet occurred.


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## gengo

Interesting.  Please see this page, and look at the top of page 7.  Note that it says "le dijo que gritara" and "le dijo que fuera."  Is this somehow different?


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## Melania_3838

But, let's say the entire story is in the past then would you use past subjunctive?


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## SDLX Master

gengo said:


> Interesting. Please see this page, and look at the top of page 7. Note that it says "le dijo que gritara" and "le dijo que fuera." Is this somehow different?


 
"le dijo que gritara" = told him/her to yell
"le dijo que fuera" = told him/her to go

The problem is not English, but Spanish. Would this be any clearer if I told you that you could say *"le dijo que gritara"* and *"le dijo que grite"* and those two would be pretty much the same?


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## gengo

SDLX Master said:


> "le dijo que gritara" = told him/her to yell
> "le dijo que fuera" = told him/her to go



Yes, as the English translation on the same page indicates, although it is "her."



> Would this be any clearer if I told you that you could say *"le dijo que gritara"* and *"le dijo que grite"* and those two would be pretty much the same?



No clearer at all, I'm afraid.  It is probably my ignorance, but I'd love to understand why you say acompañara can't be used in the original question here.


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## Melania_3838

I'll give the whole thing so yall can get some context.

Can you tell me how you'd write this: The mother wasn't able to take off work, so Carmen's mother told her to go with eduardo to visit his grandparents.

Does that help with context or not?


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## SDLX Master

gengo said:


> Yes, as the English translation on the same page indicates, although it is "her."
> 
> 
> 
> No clearer at all, I'm afraid. It is probably my ignorance, but I'd love to understand why you say acompañara can't be used in the original question here.


 
First off, I never said it could not be used.  I only produced what I know fits best as far as syntax and morphology is concerned. 

You can of course say "que acompañara", but this will necessarily sound a bit odd to the ear.


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## Melania_3838

If le dijo que gritara/grite is the same than what is the difference for le dijo que acompañara/acompañe?

I guess I just wanted to know what the difference is if one is used over the other.


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## SDLX Master

Melania_3838 said:


> I'll give the whole thing so yall can get some context.
> 
> Can you tell me how you'd write this: The mother wasn't able to take off work, so Carmen's mother told her to go with eduardo to visit his grandparents.
> 
> Does that help with context or not?


 
Before this gets any worse and funnier...* are you sure the original sentence in English is correct?*


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## gengo

SDLX Master said:


> First off, I never said it could not be used.



Sorry if I misunderstood you.  I said "I think that 'acompañara' is also correct," and you replied "I am sorry to disagree with you Gengo," so I thought you were saying it is incorrect.



> You can of course say "que acompañara", but this will necessarily sound a bit odd to the ear.



Of course I trust your opinion as a native speaker, but it still strikes me as surprising, because I thought this construction (using the past subjunctive after a command issued in the past) was perfectly common and natural.


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## Melania_3838

I am glad for the fingertip destruction as I would rather learn and understand things than just get a quick translation for a dumb sentence.


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## la_machy

(Hecho pasado): ''La madre de Carmen le dijo que _acompañara_ a Eduardo a visitar a sus abuelos'' (Carmen _*fue *_a la casa de sus abuelos porqué su madre le dijo que _acompañara_ a Eduardo_)._

(Hecho que _va a pasar_): ''La madre de Carmen le dijo que _acompañe_ a Eduardo a visitar  sus abuelos'' (Carmen* ira* a la casa de sus abuelos porque su madre le dijo que _acompañe_ a Eduardo).


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## gengo

SDLX Master said:


> Before this gets any worse and funnier...* are you sure the original sentence in English is correct?*



Yes, that sentence is correct, other than not capitalizing Eduardo, and the fact that the first part was tacked on afterward, so it should probably read as follows.

_Carmen's mother wasn't able to take off work, so she told Carmen to go with Eduardo to visit his grandparents._


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## gengo

la_machy said:


> (Hecho pasado): ''La madre de Carmen le dijo que _acompañara_ a Eduardo a visitar a sus abuelos'' (Carmen _*fue *_a la casa de sus abuelos porqué su madre le dijo que _acompañara_ a Eduardo_)._
> 
> (Hecho que _va a pasar_): ''La madre de Carmen le dijo que _acompañe_ a Eduardo a visitar  sus abuelos'' (Carmen* ira* a la casa de sus abuelos porque su madre le dijo que _acompañe_ a Eduardo).



That is exactly how I understand it.  But I am just a humble gringo, with little confidence in my Spanish grammar.


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## SDLX Master

gengo said:


> Yes, that sentence is correct, other than not capitalizing Eduardo, and the fact that the first part was tacked on afterward, so it should probably read as follows.
> 
> _Carmen's mother wasn't able to take off work, so she told Carmen to go with Eduardo to visit his grandparents._


 
And the truth shall set you free!!!!!!!!!!! 

Here is the correct sentence at last:

*La madre de Carmen no pudo salir del trabajo, por lo que le dijo a Carmen que fuera con Eduardo a visitar a sus abuelos.*


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## Melania_3838

Machy, MUCHAS GRACIAS!! ahora sé que ambos son correctos depende de que quiere decir el autor. Eso es lo único que quería saber.

We don't have differences like that in english so it is hard to understand..


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## Melania_3838

Also, thanks gengo and sdlx!! much better.


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## gengo

SDLX Master said:


> Here is the correct sentence at last:
> 
> *La madre de Carmen no pudo salir del trabajo, por lo que le dijo a Carmen que fuera con Eduardo a visitar a sus abuelos.*



Thanks SD.  I'm glad to see I wasn't crazy (this time).


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## la_machy

> ahora sé que ambos son correctos *depende de qué quiere decir el autor*. Eso es lo único que quería saber.


 
This is all about!

I'm glad you were well attended!!


Saludos


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## SDLX Master

Melania_3838 said:


> Also, thanks gengo and sdlx!! much better.


 
Melania, I mean my best intentions, so please I would advise that you look at my previous post where I provided translation in blue print, as that is the one that strictly reflects the original sentence. 
As to the long discussion generated by the use of subjunctive or not, I can only add it is only a matter of time and patience to finally click to it.

I truly hope I was able to help


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## Melania_3838

Hey without you SDLX... I wouldn't have known if i could use present subjunctive in past sentences or not. Now I know I can depending on what i want to say and before that I thought I could only use past subjunctive. So I definitely learned something new from everyone! The sentence wasn't a big deal to me but understanding the concept within the sentence is what I was really aiming to learn about.

haha, I wrote the sentence with the intention of getting a discussion going about this topic and i learned more.


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