.....problem with the Subjunctive in Spanish? D:?

Question

I have two questions about the Spanish Subjunctive. I'd appreciate any help you could give me, for either phrase.

"I would have been angry if my room were cold when I returned":
My attempt: "Me habria enojado si en mi cuarto hiciera calor cuando volvi"
My Spanish friend's correction: "Me habria enojado si en mi cuarto hiciera calor cuando VUELVA"

Question: Why does "volvi" become "vuelva" in this case? From what I understand, the subjunctive is for things that are doubtful; if in this case, I did return (an event in the past), and it's not hypothetical, why do I need to use the subjunctive?

And finally,
in an "If" clause about a hypothetical situation, is the subjunctive necessary? As in...

"Quieren que me duerma si HAYA cenado" or "Quieren que me duerma si HE cenado"?

I hope that wasn't too wordy. If you can answer either question I'd appreciate it. Thanks!

"Quieren que me duerma si he cenado" is supposed to mean "They want me to sleep if I've eaten dinner". I think my confidence level just dropped XD

Answer 1

You are a little confused; but not much.
On your first sentence "Me habría enojado si en mi cuarto hiciera calor caundo volví" you do need the subjunctive but you need it in 'pretérito pluscuamperfecto'
Now your confusion stems from the verb you are conjugating.
It is a fact that you returned, so the verb 'volver' has to be in the past perfect 'volví' (so you were right); however the verb that needs to be in the subjunctive mood (or hypothetical) is 'to do' (hacer).
Since you used 'habría' instead of 'hubiese', you have to use 'hubiera hecho' instead of 'hiciese'.
Anyhow, your sentence can be:

'Me habría enojado si en mi cuarto hubiera hecho frío cuando volví'
or
'Me hubiese enojado si en mi cuarto hubiese hecho frío cuando volví'

Now for the dinner thing. . .
The answer is the second one (but it can be improved)
You need to make a time-line to make the conjugations a little easier. Your subjunctive (hypothetical) is not the dinning but the sleeping, so your verb 'dormir' is in 'presente subjuntivo' 'duerma', so far so good.
Now the verb 'cenar' is in indicative it is just in the 'pretéritó compuesto perfecto' 'he cenado' but for emphasis you could say 'ya he cenado' so your sentence could be:
'Quieren que me duerma si ya he cenado'

Answer 2

You have some good answers there; but the first English sentence is not strictly correct. It should read either,
a) I would have been angry if my room HAD BEEN cold when I returned, or,
b) I would be angry if my room WERE cold when I return.

Assuming your meaning is (a) then you can see that you need the pluperfect subjunctive in the second part of the sentence - si mi cuarto hubiera/hubiese estado frío cuando volví. (By the way - not vuelva - you were right.)

The subjunctive is NOT used after 'si' in the present tense, but the imperfect subjunctive is used in a past situation. I don't really understand your last sentences; but to give you an idea, 'if I dine late . . .' = 'si ceno tarde . . .' followed by the present or future depending on the context; 'if I dined late . . .' = 'si cenara/cenase tarde . . .' followed by the indicative conditional. It sounds more confusing than it is :-)

Answer 3

lt's genuine that the subjunctive is greater usually utilized in Spanish than in French. and you be conscious of that the French do not use the imperfect and pluperperfect subjunctive to any extent further in each and daily speech.

Answer 4

Me habria molestado que en mi habitacion hiciese frio cuando hubiese vuelto.

Pretty complicated one, I guess.

I guess "quieren que me duerma si he cenado" is grammatically correct but sounds sooooo weird. Quieren que me vaya a dormir una vez cene, quieren que despues de cenar me vaya a dormir.

The thing is; tu no te duermes, te vas a dormir (o te vas a la cama). That's how it's said, and that's because; when you say me duermo, me dormire, you don't really mean it, it's like saying I'm sleepy, (except for past actions)

Answer 5

"I would have been angry if my room were cold when I returned" Spanish -> "me habría molestado si mi cuarto hubiese estado FRÍO cuando regresé".
1. It´s not CALOR
2. We don´t use subjunctive

We use subjunctive after verbs, such as "querer", example: Yo quiero que vengas / I want you to come (verb: venir. Yo vengo, tú vienes, él viene... in indicative and in subjuctive -> vaya, vayas, vaya...)

"Quieren que me duerme si haya cenado" or "quieren que me duerma si he cenado" are senseless sentences for me. Could you write them in english just to make them clear, so I can explain them for you?

Answer 6

I think the correction of your friend doesn't make much sense.
i would say :
Si hubiera vuelto y mi habitación hubiera estado fría me habría enfadado/enojado.
or if you want to use VUELVA : Me voy a enojar/enfadar si mi habitación esta fría cuando VUELVA.

The second one would be : quieren que me duerma si he cenado,although it doesn't make much sense.

Answer 7

Because you are using the 3rd conditional (google it), an unreal situation in the past, you must use the subjunctive form of VOLVER.