Modern Spanish Grammar: A Practical Guide

When the subject is understood or when the subject of the main verb and the

subordinate verb are the same, we can use en caso de+ infinitive:

En caso de no poder asistir avísame.

In case you cannot attend let me know.

En caso de no encontrarlo te llamaré.

In case I can’t find it I’ll call you.

51.3.6 Con tal (de) que, siempre que, siempre y cuando, a condición de que, con la condición
de que+ subjunctive
These expressions, which translate into English as ‘as long as’, ‘provided (that)’,
‘providing (that)’, ‘on condition that’, are normally used in reply to a request. They are
all followed by a subjunctive: the present subjunctive when reference is to the present
or the future.

Puedes usarlo, con tal (de) que lo cuides.

You can use it as long as you look after it.

Sí, llévalo, pero siempre que me lo devuelvas mañana.

Yes, take it, but provided you return it to me tomorrow.

Hablaré con él, siempre y cuando usted me apoye.

I’ll speak to him providing you support me.

Te lo diré, a condición de que guardes el secreto.

I’ll tell you, on condition that you keep the secret.

Si queréis podéis usar mi apartamento, con la condición de que lo

dejéis limpio.

If you like you can use my apartment, on condition that you leave it

clean.

When reference is to the past, the conditional clause will carry a verb in the imperfect

subjunctive.

Te lo dije a condición de que guardaras el secreto.

I told you on condition that you kept the secret.

Le dije a usted que hablaría con él siempre y cuando usted me

apoyara.

I told you I would speak to him providing you supported me.

The speaker may sometimes express uncertainty with regard to a request, in which case

the verb in the main clause will be in the conditional and the verb in the conditional

clause will be in the imperfect subjunctive.

Te lo diría a condición de que guardaras el secreto.

I would tell you on condition that you kept the secret.

51.3.7 A menos que, a no ser que, salvo que+ subjunctive

These expressions correspond to the English ‘unless’ and are used to express conditions

which might cause something, e.g. a plan which may not be carried out or may not be

EXPRESSING CONDITIONS 51.3