Temporal clauses are subordinate and coordinate clauses, which specify the time of another clause and its temporal relation to other actions. The most frequent temporal connectors are:
Subordinate:
hoka - when
bo - when
Coordinate:
lej - now
drekar - earlier
prekar - later
nakar - long ago
The subordinate connectors are conjunctions, which stand at the beginning of the subordinate clause. With coordinate connectors, two (or more) clauses are put into temporal relations without subordination.
In temporal relations, correct tenses and aspects must be used. The following rules apply:
Two perfectives cannot be simultaneous. To express simultaneity, at least one of the verbs must be imperfective or habitual.
Use pre-past for past actions which precede another action in the past.
Use pre-future for future actions which precede another action in the future.
Note: if the clauses have the same auxiliary verb in the same form (most frequently nej), it is ommited in the second clause.
Vlál nej hoka klapeňí žubrekneló. He was sleeping when the storm started.
Drekar nej vila búhila prekar vebrzedla ce venka. She went shopping before she left the town.
Híňanka nej vila zešadla prekar obdredla. The steam locomotive stopped before it exploded.
Gozbek nirej viti dulel deró spárkó prekar de crpľasti. The doctor will ask you your name before he examins you.
Drekar nej grávla črňi lej izňe vlaj. She used to read books but now she only sleeps.
Lok nej jabrdel vzi čiľi bo torá strpla vebrela. The man came home when his wife was leaving.
If the subjects of the clauses are identical, then in some cases, the transgressives can be used. These cases are:
the action are simultaneous and expressed with imperfective or habitual aspects
a preceding action is expressed with the perfective aspect
Dulevši deró spárkó gozbek de nirej crpľasti. Having asked your name the doctor will examine you.
Zešavši híňanka nej obdredla. Having stopped the steam locomotive exloded.
Grájíc čerň glídl nám spáreňí. Reading a book I heard a call.