The Subjunctive

The Indicative

Mr. Indicative

If the indicative were to be a person, it would be a business man. As a person, the Indicative looks a bit like this, Mr. Straightforward. He is just a regular guy or normal guy .

What Is the Indicative?

• In general, the Indicative mood is used to refer to what is real and certain.

• It is used to talk about actions, events, or states that are believed to be facts or true.

• It is very typical in speech for making factual statements or describing obvious qualities of a person or situation.

Expressions that Trigger the Indicative:

• Pensar que To think that• Saber que To know that• Creer que To believe that• No dudar que To not doubt that• No hay duda de que There is no doubt that• No negar que To not deny that• Es verdad que It is true that• Es cierto que It is certain/true that• Es seguro que It is sure/certain that• Estar seguro de que To be sure that• Es obvio que It is obvious that• Observar que To observe that

 

The SubjunctiveMr. Subjunctive

The subjunctive is a spaced-out hippy, happilyperson in a world of unreality and uncertainty. He is always subjectively giving his hippyinterpretation of reality and emotions, philosophizing all day long about hypothetical and interesting thingsthat probably haven’t happened yet!

Indicative = Mr. Normal

Subjunctive = Hippy Dude

What Is the Subjunctive?

• In general, the subjunctive mood is subjective and possible (but not certain).

• It is used to talk about doubts, wishes, emotions, and other unknown and non-factual situations.

• It is commonly used in making recommendations, giving commands, and talking about how things make you feel.

Expressions that Trigger the Subjunctive:

• Wish, want, want you to

• Emotion

• Impersonal expression

• Recommendation

• Doubt, denial, disbelief, don’t know

• Ojalá

How Do You Conjugate in the Present Subjunctive?

PRESENT:

Start with present tense yo (-o)

Add OPPOSITE ENDING: -AR -ER/-IR

-e -a

-es -as

-e -a

-emos -amos

-en -an

 

habloe

hablar

comer

comoa

Present Subjunctive

(Yo form in present tense + opposite ending)

 

(WEIRDO in the present + verb in the present subjunctive)

Ex: I doubt (that) they are coming.

Dudo que ellos vengan.

Subjunctive or Indicative ?

1. Espero que

2. Dudo que

3. Creen que

4. Es probable que

5. Es seguro que

6. Niegas que

subjunctive

subjunctive

indicative

subjunctive

indicative

subjunctive

The Imperfect / Past Subjunctive

The same situations that trigger the subjunctive in the present tense will trigger the imperfect/past subjunctive. Everything on your WEIRDO handout will trigger the past subjunctive. The only difference is that the verb in the main clause will be conjugated in the past tense, imperfect or the conditional.

Past / Imperfect Subjunctive

(ELLOS form of preterit (drop -aron/ -ieron) + ara, aras, ara, aramos, aran)

iera, ieras, iera, ieramos, ieran

WEIRDO in the past tense + Verb in the past subjunctive )

 

Ex: I doubted (that) they were coming.

Dudaba que ellos vinieran.

The Past / Imperfect Subjunctive

• Start with preterit tense ellos, and drop (-aron/-ieron)

• Add ENDING:

-AR -ER/IR

-ara -iera

-aras -ieras

-ara -iera

- aramos - ieramos

-aran -ieran

hablar

hablaronara

comercomieroniera

Present Subjunctive or Past Subjunctive?

1.Quiero que

2. Yo le recomendé que

3. Dudo que

4. Era importante que

5. Quería que

6. Es importante que

7. Me alegro de que

8. Me alegraba

Present Subjunctive

Past subjunctive

Present subjunctive

Past subjunctive

Past subjunctive

Present subjunctive

Present subjunctive

Past subjunctive