Spanish · B2 · Family moment
Your Question, Your Voice in Spanish
Helping your child find their own voice involves creating space for them to speak with adults and peers. This guide focuses on using Spanish to contrast two different actions performed by two different people using the 'en lugar de que' structure, which requires the subjunctive mood.
What you'll learn
- Use 'en lugar de que' to describe alternative actions involving different subjects.
- Master the use of the subjunctive mood in alternative-action clauses.
- Practice natural phrasing for encouraging a child's autonomy in social settings.
Spanish phrases for your question, your voice
Puedes decirle a tu profesor qué te confundió en lugar de que yo lo explique por ti.
You can tell your teacher what confused you instead of me explaining it for you.
Uses 'en lugar de que' followed by the subjunctive 'explique' because the subjects change from 'tú' to 'yo'.
En lugar de que yo responda de inmediato, puedes decirle al entrenador en qué grupo te gustaría probar.
Instead of me answering straight away, you can tell the coach which group you'd like to try.
'Responda' is the present subjunctive of 'responder'.
Podrías preguntarle al papá de tu amigo sobre el sábado en lugar de que yo hable todo el tiempo.
You could ask your friend's dad about Saturday instead of me doing all the talking.
'Hable' is the subjunctive form used here to indicate the hypothetical alternative action.
En lugar de que todos adivinen cómo te sientes, puedes decirnos con tus propias palabras.
Instead of everyone guessing how you feel, you can tell us in your own words.
'Adivinen' (from adivinar) is plural to match 'todos'.
Tu amigo puede explicar su idea en lugar de que tú hables por los dos.
Your friend can explain their idea instead of you speaking for both of you.
This emphasizes the child stepping back so others can speak.
En lugar de que yo elija el libro de la biblioteca, puedes decirle al bibliotecario qué te interesa.
Instead of me choosing the library book, you can tell the librarian what interests you.
'Elija' is the subjunctive form of 'elegir' (to choose).
Puedes mostrarle al profesor dónde te trabaste en lugar de que yo escriba una nota larga.
You can show the teacher where you got stuck instead of me writing a long note.
'Trabaste' refers to getting stuck or jammed; 'escriba' is the subjunctive form of 'escribir'.
En lugar de que el entrenador me pregunte a mí, puedes explicar por qué quieres un breve descanso.
Instead of the coach asking me, you can explain why you'd like a short break.
'Pregunte' is used here to follow 'en lugar de que' when the subject is 'el entrenador'.
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
en lugar de que
instead of (followed by a clause)
Crucial: If the subject changes after 'instead of', you must use this phrase + the subjunctive.
confundir
to confuse
Commonly used with indirect object pronouns (e.g., 'me confundió').
trabarse
to get stuck / tongue-tied
A common colloquial way to say one hit a snag or got stuck while doing something.
bibliotecario
librarian
Ensure the gender matches the person (bibliotecario/bibliotecaria).
Alternative-Action Clauses with Different Subjects
In English, we use 'instead of' + '-ing' (e.g., instead of me going). In Spanish, if the person doing the 'instead' action is different from the person in the main part of the sentence, we use 'en lugar de que' + Subjunctive.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Same Subject | en lugar de + infinitive | Leo en lugar de dormir. (I read instead of sleeping.) |
| Different Subject | en lugar de que + subjunctive | Leo en lugar de que tú me leas. (I read instead of you reading to me.) |
More examples
¿Quieres hablar tú en lugar de que yo lo haga?
Do you want to speak instead of me doing it?
'Haga' is the subjunctive of 'hacer'.
Diles hola en lugar de que yo te presente.
Say hello to them instead of me introducing you.
Encouraging social initiative.