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raferguson

Sep 28, 2008, 11:53 AM

Post #1 of 4 (3566 views)

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Quepa

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I received an email from a hotel containing the following

Quote

La caja fuerte no es lo suficientemente grande como para que quepa una computadora.

Quepa was not in my dictionary, but it listed Quepo as being from the verb Caber. One of the definitions of Caber was "to have enough room", so that made sense. When I looked into my 501 spanish verbs, Caber was not found, even in the index.

It seems like a strange verb conjugation that changes the root of the verb. So what verb that might be in my 501 Spanish Verbs book is similar to caber? Is Quepa a subjunctive? I suspect that the answer is obvious, but I don't see it.

Richard

http://www.fergusonsculpture.com

Rolly

Sep 28, 2008, 12:25 PM

Post #2 of 4 (3563 views)

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Re: [raferguson] Quepa

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Quepa is the first and third person present subjunctive. The root of caber changes in this tense as well as the first person present indicative and some of the imperative. Very odd verb.

Rolly Pirate

sergiogomez / Moderator

Sep 28, 2008, 2:08 PM

Post #3 of 4 (3555 views)

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Re: [raferguson] Quepa

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Caber--a highly irregular verb that roughly means to fit or to allow to fit. Quepa is the subjunctive form of the verb, used here because it is preceded by "para que." Subjunctive is used when expressing emotions, doubt, and after certain prepositions such as para que, con tal de que, a fin de que, sin que, and others. Part of the conjugation is as follows:

Present indicative (I fit, it fits)

yo quepo tú cabes él/ella/Ud. cabe nosotros cabemos vosotros cabéis ellos/Uds. caben

Preterite (it fit)

yo cupe tú cupiste él/ella/Ud. cupo nosotros cupimos ellos/Uds. cupieron

Imperfect is regular--cabía, cabías, etc. (it fit--over a period of time)

Future (will fit)

cabré cabrás cabrá cabremos cabrán

Conditional is similar to future--cabría, cabrías, etc. (it would fit)

Subjunctive (fit)

quepa quepas quepa quepamos quepáis quepan

Imperfect subjunctive (would have fit)

cupiera cupieras cupiera cupiéramos cupieran

Georgia

Oct 1, 2008, 2:21 PM

Post #4 of 4 (3517 views)

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Re: [raferguson] Quepa

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So, the bottom line here is that when an action is contrary to fact, you use the subjunctive:

The strongbox is not large enough that a computer fit in it. (old English)
the strongbox is not large enough that a computer would fit in it. (new English)
We've kind of stopped using the subjunctive in English. Sad.

Example:
(old English) She requests that he attend. (subjunctive: attend)
(new English) She requests him to attend.
and so on.................