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al+infinitivo |
The construction al+infinitivo has three main interpretations:
1) With temporal meaning, similar to cuando, it can imply either simultaneous events or one following immediately after another. The construction can be used when the subject is the same for both clauses (correferencia de sujetos), or with two different subjects. This can usually be translated as 'on/upon', although it may sound more natural to say 'when' or 'as', or by using the continuous.1-2
-Al entrar en el bar, vio al niño — On/Upon entering the bar, he saw the boy (same subject, immediately after)
-Al despedirme yo, uno de los hombres me preguntó por mi mujer — When/As I was saying goodbye, one of the men asked after my wife (different subjects, simultaneous)
-Al recibir la carta, avísame por favor — Once you receive the letter, please let me know (same subject, immediately after)
2) The causal meaning is more likely with stative verbs, infinitivos compuestos, and negatives.3
-Al haberlo visto antes, no le apetecía repetir — Since/As he'd seen it before, he didn't feel like repeating
-Él perdió mucho dinero al tener que renunciar a su herencia — Having to give up his inheritance cost him a lot of money / He lost a lot of money by having to give up his inheritance
-Al ser funcionario, no tenía que esforzarse mucho — Being a civil servant, he didn't have to make much of an effort [≈Siendo funcionario -véase gerundio valor causal]
-Al no decírselo antes, le daba miedo sacar el tema — Since she hadn't told him before, she was afraid to bring up the subject
At times, both the causal and temporal meanings can overlap, making the translation tricky, although the context usually makes it clear which meaning is intended.
-Al verla, decidió no saludarla — On seeing her, he decided not to say hello (causal or temporal??)
-Al terminar la guerra, nos marchamos a Francia — When/since the war had finished, we went to France (causal or temporal??)
-La niña se emocionaba al recordar aquel día — The girl got all emotional when/as she remembered that day / She got all emotional remembering that day
Similarly, the temporal use of a can also be seen in the constructions of the type a+tiempo+de+infinitivo –for comparison with dentro de, see discussion.4
-A las pocas semanas de empezar, tiró la toalla — Within a few weeks of starting, he threw in the towel
-A los cinco minutos de conocerlo, supe que no íbamos a ser amigos — Within five minutes of meeting him, I knew we wouldn't be friends
3) Finally, with the verbs caer and llegar especially, estar al+infinitivo can be used to talk about something which is about to happen. As discussed previously, usage varies between countries, with estar por+infinitivo and estar para +infinitivo being the other main constructions.
"estar al + infinitivo: Expresa que está a punto de realizarse la acción denotada por el infinitivo. En España solo es normal con los verbos 'caer' y 'llegar', con el sentido de ‘estar a punto de presentarse’".5
-Vamos, rápido. El tren está al llegar — Let's go. Quickly. The train is about to arrive
-Papá está al caer — Dad'll be here any minute
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