cuando

Cuando is a Spanish conjunction and adverb meaning “when.” It introduces a temporal clause that specifies the time at which an action occurs and can also appear in questions about time as the interrogative word ¿cuándo?

Grammatical use of cuando includes both indicative and subjunctive moods in the dependent clause. Use the indicative when referring to past or habitual actions: por ejemplo, “Cuando llegué, ya comí.” For future or hypothetical actions, the subjunctive is common: “Te llamaré cuando llegue.” The choice of mood can vary with regional usage and context, but it follows the general rule that real or completed events favor indicative, while uncertain or future events favor subjunctive.

When used in questions, cuá ndo includes an accent to mark its interrogative function: “¿Cuándo tienes tiempo?” In indirect questions, the accent is retained: “No sé cuándo llegará.”

Etymology and variations: Cuando derives from Latin quando. It is a core part of Spanish grammar and is closely related to other temporal conjunctions such as en cuanto, tan pronto como, and hasta que. Cognates appear in related Romance languages, including Portuguese quando and Italian quando, reflecting a shared Latin origin.

See also: Spanish grammar, temporal conjunctions, interrogative pronouns.