El Subjuntivo When and How to Use the Subjunctive Mood

El Subjuntivo

When and How to Use the Subjunctive Mood

SUBJUNCTIVE MOOD It doesn't deal with factual reality

Deals with opinions, feelings, suppositions, dreams and speculation.

In English the Subjunctive is less apparent. Many times is identical to the infinitive.

In Spanish, the Subjunctive represent: The things we imagine others

doing (or not doing)

How we feel about events that have happened to others.

It encompasses things that are rhetorical in our minds or emotional in our hearts.

Keanu quiere QUE la profe le envíe un mensaje de text.

Keanu se alegra de QUE la chica sea su novia.

3 crucial elements that trigger the Subjunctive: Uncertainty, doubt, subjectivity

2 different subjects (if one use Infinitive)

Implied that (que)

THE SUBJUNCTIVE FORMULA

S1 V1S1 V1 QUE QUE S2 V2S2 V2Subject #1

Person Person

Located in Located in realityreality

Conjugates Conjugates the the

Indicative Indicative verbverb

IndicativeVerb

Select one Select one of the of the

Wedding Wedding verbsverbs

Conjunction

Introduces Introduces the the

subjunctive subjunctive clauseclause

Subject #2

Person in Person in the the

wedding wedding worldworld

Conjugates Conjugates the the

subjunctivsubjunctivee verb

SubjunctiveVerb

PresentPresent

Present Present perfectperfect

Imperfect Imperfect

Past perfectPast perfect

WWWISHESDESIRES

IMPERATIVES

Querer, necesitar, desear, mandar, ordenar, esperar, insistir, decirle, etc…

EE EMOTION

Alegrarse, enojarse, sentir, asustarse, entristecer, etc…

IIIMPERSONAL EXPRESSIONS

Es bueno/malo que…Es importante que…Es posible que…etc…

RR RECOMMENDATIONS

Recomendar, sugerir, aconsejar, etc…

DDDOUBT

DENIAL, DISBELIEF

Dudar que, no creer que, negar que, etc…

OOOJALÁ Ojalá que…

(Let’s hope to God that…God willing…)

DO NOT USE SUBJUNCTIVE When expressing facts, beliefs, truth, certainties

or the obvious.CREER /PENSAR QUE…Creo que la película “Up” es excelente.

I believe/think (for a fact)That… In Spanish expresses certainty, unlike in English.

ES OBVIO/CIERTO/VERDAD QUE…los perros son mejores que los gatos.

It’s obvious, certain, true that…

NO HAY DUDA QUE…La Sra. Kim es inteligente

There is no doubt that…

SABER QUE…Yo sé que mis estudiantes estudian mucho.

I know (for a fact) that …

Also do not use Subjunctivewhen discussing people or things we know exist.

No hay una secretaria que hable español.

¿Hay una secretaria que hable español?

Sí, hay una secretaria que habla español.

Buscar…

Busco una camisa que tenga una foto de Elvis.

Busco la camisa que tiene la foto de Elvis.

Subjunctive ConjugationsBegin with the Yo form, drop –o and add:

AR verbs ER/IR verb

Yo -e -a

Tú -es -as

Él, ella, Ud. -e -a

Nosotros -emos -amos

Vosotros -éis -áis

Ellos, ellas, Uds.

-en -an

Yo irregular verbs: Caer (caigo) Decir (digo) Hacer (hago) Oir (oigo) Poner (pongo) Salir (salgo) Venir (vengo) Tener (tengo) Traer (traigo)

More irregulars: Caber (quepo) Conocer (conozco) Nacer (nazco) Parecer (parezco) Construir (construyo) Destruir (destruyo) Ver (veo)

Stem Changing Verbs: If an Ar or Er verb is stem change in

the present tense, there will be a change in the Subjunctive Conjugation, but not in the Nosotros form.

Ir stem changing verbs maintain the stem change of the present tense but for nosotros follow (e-i, o-u)

Infinitive verb

Present tense Yo

Subjunctive

Yo

Subjunctive

Nosotros

Pedir Pido Pida Pidamos

Pensar Pienso Piense Pensemos

Dormir Duermo Duerma durmamos

Atender Atiendo Atienda atendamos

Hervir Hiervo Hierva Hirvamos

Entender Entiendo Entienda entendamos

Poder Puedo Pueda Podamos

Preferir Prefiero Prefiera prefiramos

Stem Changing Verbs:

Irregular Verbs:Verb Subjunctive Conjugation

Estar Esté, estés, esté, estemos, estéis, estén

Dar Dé, des, dé, demos, deis, den

Ir Vaya, vayas, vaya, vayamos, vayáis, vayan

Saber Sepa, sepas, sepa, sepamos, sepáis, sepan

Haber Haya, hayas, haya, hayamos, hayáis, hayan

Ser Sea, seas, sea, seamos, seáis, sean

Spelling Changes: -CAR C QU

-GAR G GU -ZAR Z C -GER G J -GUIR GU G -CER C Z(Hacer and Conocer do not follow the

spelling change rule *exceptions)