El SubjuntivoSubjunctive: Straight from the Book

Página: 183, 217 & 222

• The subjunctive is not a tense; rather, it is a mood. Tense refers to when an action takes place (past, present, future), while mood merely reflects how the speaker feels about the action. The subjunctive mood is rarely used in English, but it is widely used in Spanish.

• So far, you have studied verb tenses in the indicative mood. The indicative mood is used to express factual information, certainty, and objectivity.

Usted va al Perú en diciembre.You are going to Peru in December.

• The above sentence merely reports the fact that you are going to Peru in December, so the indicative mood (present tense) is used.

Let’s alter that sentence just a bit…

Dudo que usted vaya al Perú en diciembre.

• I doubt that you are going to Peru in December.

• In the above sentence, the clause "dudo" introduces a quality of uncertainty, -- the speaker does have doubt, so here the subjunctive mood is used in the second clause (vaya).

And once again with a slight change

No dudo que usted va al Perú en diciembre.

• I don't doubt that you are going to Peru in December.

• In the above sentence, the clause "no dudo" introduces a quality of certainty, -- the speaker has no doubt, so the indicative mood is used in the second clause (va) as well as the first (no dudo).

SUBJUNCTIVE VS. INDICATIVE

• The subjunctive mood is used to express everything except certainty and objectivity: things like doubt, uncertainty, subjectivity, etc.

• The difference between indicative and subjunctive is the difference between certainty/objectivity (indicative) and possibility/subjectivity (subjunctive).

not influenced by personal feelings, interpretations, or

prejudice; based on facts; unbiased

existing in the mind; belonging to the thinking subject. Placing

excessive emphasis on one's own moods, attitudes, opinions

VS.

Indicative

• John goes to the store.(This sentence merely states the certain, objective fact that John goes to the store.)

• I know that John goes to the store.(The clause "I know" tells us that the speaker feels that it is a certain, objective fact that John goes to the store.)

• There is no doubt that John goes to the store.(The clause "there is no doubt" tells us that the speaker feels that it is a certain, objective fact that John goes to the store.)

Subjunctive• I want John to go to the store.

(The clause "I want" tells us that the speaker feels that there is uncertainty as to whether John goes to the store.)

• I hope that John goes to the store.(The clause "I hope" tells us that the speaker feels that there is uncertainty as to whether John goes to the store.)

• It is possible that John will go to the store.(The clause "it is possible" tells us that the speaker feels that there is uncertainty as to whether John goes to the store.)

2 clauses• If you encounter a sentence with a main clause followed by

a second clause, and the main clause introduces a quality of certainty or objectivity (uninfluenced by emotions or personal

prejudices), the sentence will use the indicative mood in the second clause, since the sentence will be reporting something certain.

Es cierto que La Profesora sabe el subjuntivo.• If you encounter a sentence with a main clause followed by

a second clause, and the main clause does not introduce a quality of certainty or objectivity, the sentence will usually use the subjunctive mood in the second clause, since the sentence will not be reporting something certain.

Yo Espero que La Profesora sepa el subjuntivo.

1. 2.

QUE

¿Recuerda el Camión?

Hay 2 partes del camión. ¿Qué conecta los dos partes?

Estos verbos usan el subjuntivo• Ojalá – Hopefully (I hope)• Desear – To desire/wish• Esperar – To hope• Querer – to want• Aconsejar – to advise• insistir en – to insist• Prohibir – to prohibit• Dejar – to allow• mandar- to order/command• Recomendar – to recommend• Exigir – to demand• Pedir – to ask/order• Sugerir – to suggest• Preferir – to prefer

These are verbs of hope

These are verbs of influence

In the first clause, all of these verbs will be conjugated in the present tense. In the second clause, If there is a change of subject, add QUE and a subjunctive verb. If there is no change in subject, don’t use QUE and the second verb will remain in its infinitive form.

Let’s break this down a little more.

In these sentences, we want, hope, or wish/desire that someone else does something. But it is uncertain that they will actually do it, so we use the subjunctive.

Here, the boy wants to behave well. There is no change of subject. It’s not an opinion, it’s a fact, or it’s certain. So we use the indicative.

OjaláMeaning:• Let’s hope so; hopefully• God willing – Hope to God• Let’s hope (that) (followed by present subjunctive)• God grant (that) (followed by present subjunctive)

Implies that something is hypothetical or contrary-to-fact:

• Ojalá que esté aquí. hopefully she is here. [She might be here.]

Te Toca a Ti• I hope that my parents buy a new car.– Espero que mis padres compren un coche nuevo.

• My parents want me to get good grades.–Mis padres quieren que yo saque buenas notas.

• I want to win a lot of money.–Quiero ganar mucho dinero. Here, I want to win a lot of

money. There is no change of subject. It’s not an opinion, it’s a fact, or it’s certain. So we use the indicative. This is what I want for myself; there is no doubt.

Te Toca a Ti

• Señorita recommends that her students study the subjuntive.– La Srta. recomienda que sus estudiantes estudien

el subjuntivo.

• I advise you to practice the conjugations.–Aconsejo que tú practiques las conjugaciones.

• The students ask to have the answers.– Los estudiantes piden tener las respuestas.

Here, there is no change of subject. The students are talking about themselves. They ask TO HAVE (infinitive).

Repaso