Spanish · C1 · Family moment
A Small Voice for Safer Streets in Spanish
Empower your child's civic voice while establishing clear safety boundaries using 'siempre que' and 'con tal de que'. This guide focuses on negotiating prerequisites for joining a school road-safety walk.
What you'll learn
- Master the use of 'siempre que' and 'con tal de que' for prerequisite conditions.
- Practice using the Spanish subjunctive mood in subordinate clauses of condition.
- Communicate safety requirements and boundaries effectively in a parental context.
Spanish phrases for a small voice for safer streets
Puedes participar en la caminata escolar por la seguridad vial, siempre que yo pueda acompañarte.
You can join the school road-safety walk, provided that I can come with you.
'Siempre que' triggers the subjunctive 'pueda'.
Con tal de que el profesor apruebe el texto, puedes llevar la pancarta que diseñaste.
Provided that the teacher approves the wording, you can carry the sign you designed.
'Con tal de que' is used here to set a specific condition at the start of the sentence.
Podemos caminar al lado de tu amigo, siempre que su padre esté de acuerdo.
We can walk beside your friend, provided that their parent agrees.
'Estar de acuerdo' is the standard way to express agreement.
Siempre que nos mantengamos con nuestro grupo, puedes ayudar a elegir qué pancarta llevamos.
Provided that we stay with our group, you can help choose which sign we carry.
Note the use of the reflexive 'mantenerse'.
Puedes explicarle tu dibujo al organizador, siempre que te sientas cómodo haciéndolo.
You can explain your picture to the organiser, provided that you feel comfortable doing so.
'Sentirse' + adjective is used for emotional states.
Podemos quedarnos para el discurso corto, siempre que todavía tengamos tiempo suficiente para llegar a tu club deportivo.
We can stay for the short speech, provided that we still have enough time to reach your sports club.
'Tengamos' is the subjunctive of 'tener'.
Con tal de que revisemos la ruta juntos de antemano, puedes ayudarme a buscar el punto de encuentro.
Provided that we check the route together beforehand, you can help me look out for the meeting point.
'De antemano' is a useful C1 phrase for 'beforehand'.
Puedes tomar una fotografía de los carteles, siempre que no aparezcan otros niños en ella sin permiso.
You may take a photograph of the signs, provided that no other children appear in it without permission.
'Aparezcan' is the subjunctive of 'aparecer'.
Hear these phrases and practise them
Tildi plays every phrase out loud, tests you in five-minute lessons and builds them into bedtime stories from your own picture books.
Try it free for 7 daysKey words
seguridad vial
road safety
Refers specifically to traffic and pedestrian safety.
pancarta
sign / banner
Commonly used for signs carried in marches or protests.
siempre que
provided that / as long as
A common conjunction for conditions requiring the subjunctive.
con tal de que
provided that
Slightly more formal or emphatic than 'siempre que'.
Conditional Clauses with Subjunctive
In Spanish, when a condition is a prerequisite for an action to happen (rather than a simple 'if' statement), we use conjunctions like 'siempre que' or 'con tal de que'. These must be followed by the subjunctive mood because the outcome is dependent on the condition being met.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Conjunction | Siempre que / Con tal de que | Siempre que *vengas*... |
| Verb Mood | Present Subjunctive | Con tal de que el profesor *apruebe*... |
More examples
Iremos al parque siempre que termines tus deberes.
We will go to the park provided that you finish your homework.
A classic everyday use of this conditional structure.
Con tal de que no grites, podemos entrar a la biblioteca.
Provided that you don't shout, we can enter the library.
Shows the condition placed at the beginning for emphasis.