cuando sea mayor
/kwando sea maʝoɾ/from spelling rules
When I am older in Spanish is cuando sea mayor.
Use it to talk about the future, as children do when saying what they want to be.
What does it mean word for word?
cuando means when, sea means I am and mayor means older or grown up.
Is it said differently in some regions?
Many Latin Americans say the same idea with the word for big in place of mayor.
How does it change in a sentence?
sea is the subjunctive form of the verb meaning to be. Spanish uses the subjunctive after cuando when talking about the future.
How do you pronounce it?
mayor is stressed on its last syllable.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Do not use the future tense after cuando. Use the subjunctive sea instead.
Did you know?
- The word mayor is a false friend for English speakers. While it looks like 'mayor' in English, it actually means 'older' or 'greater' and has nothing to do with city government.
- In some Spanish-speaking cultures, children are told ya eres mayor to encourage them to behave more responsibly, even if they are still very young.
- The word mayor shares a common ancestor with the English word 'major'. Both derive from the Latin 'maior' meaning 'greater'.
Examples in context
- Quiero viajar por el mundo cuando sea mayor.I want to travel the world when I am older.
- Cuando sea mayor, viviré en la playa.When I am older, I will live at the beach.
- Seré un gran médico cuando sea mayor.I will be a great doctor when I am older.
Example conversation
Two friends are talking about their future dreams at a cafe.
- Elena¿Qué quieres ser cuando seas mayor?What do you want to be when you are older?
- DanielCuando sea mayor, quiero ser astronauta.When I am older, I want to be an astronaut.
- Elena¡Qué sueño tan increíble, Daniel!What an incredible dream, Daniel!
- DanielGracias, Elena. ¡Tú también lo lograrás!Thanks, Elena. You will achieve it too!
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries cuando, mayor, CC BY-SA 4.0.
