12.2: Subjunctive with impersonal expressions

Question 1

Until now, all the verb tenses you have studied (present, preterite, imperfect, future, etc.) have been in the indicative. The indicative is an objective mood that is used to state facts and to talk about things that you are certain have occurred or will occur.

Answer 1

Las águilas están en peligro.

Eagles are endangered.

Question 2

In contrast, the subjunctive is a subjective mood that is used to convey uncertainty, anticipated or hypothetical events, or the subject’s wishes, fears, doubts, and emotional reactions

Answer 2

Es terrible que las águilas desaparezcan.

It is terrible (that) the eagles may disappear.

Question 3

The present subjunctive
1. You will notice that the subjunctive verb forms are very similar to formal commands. To form the present subjunctive, drop the -o from the first-person (yo) present tense form and add the opposite ending. Add the -er endings for -ar verbs, and the -ar endings for -er and -ir verbs.

Answer 3

hablar
hable hablemos
hables habléis
hable hablen

comer
coma comamos
comas comáis
coma coman

vivir
viva vivamos
vivas viváis
viva vivan

Question 4

2. Verbs that are irregular in the first-person present indicative have the same stem in the present subjunctive.

Answer 4

Es importante que conduzcas con cuidado porque hay venados.

Question 5

3. Stem-changing -ar and -er verbs follow the same pattern as in the present indicative, changing in all forms except the nosotros and vosotros forms.

Answer 5

Es bueno que podamos hacer algo, pero es necesario que todos piensen en el medio ambiente.

Question 6

4. Stem-changing -ir verbs follow the same pattern as in the present indicative, however, there is an additional change in the nosotros and vosotros forms. The additional stem change is similar to that in the third-person preterite (e -> i and o -> u).

Answer 6

Es mejor que nosotros durmamos en la casa y que los animales duerman afuera.

Question 7

5. You will recall that the formal commands of verbs whose infinitives end in -car, -gar, and -zar have spelling changes. These same spelling changes occur in the subjunctive as well.

Answer 7

Es necesario que todos busquemos una solución.

Es malo que el gallo empiece a cantar tan temprano.

Question 8

6. The subjunctive of the following verbs is irregular:
dar - dé
estar - este
haber - haya
ir - vaya
saber - sepa
ser - sea

You will notice that once again the subjunctive form is similar to the formal command forms.

Answer 8

Es imposible que vayas a la granja mañana.

Es horrible que haya tantos animales en peligro de extinción.

Question 9

7. Impersonal expressions do not have a specific subject and can include a large number of adjectives: es bueno, es difícil, es importante, es triste, etc. They can be negative or affirmative.

Answer 9

Es buena/mala idea es mejor es recomendable
es horrible es necesario es ridículo
es imposible es posible es terrible
es increíble es probable es una lástima (it’s a shame)
es justo (it’s fair) es raro es urgente

Question 10

8. When using an impersonal expression to express an opinion or an emotional reaction, it is necessary to use the subjunctive with it. While in English the conjunction that is optional, in Spanish, it is necessary to use the que between the clauses.

Answer 10

Es importante que protejamos a los animales.
It is important that we protect animals.

Es una lástima que haya animales en peligro de extinción.
It’s a shame (that) there are animals in danger of extinction.

Question 11

Investiguemos la gramática

When there is no specific subject, the infinitive is generally used after the impersonal expression.

Answer 11

Es imposible ver a todos los animales.

It is impossible to see all the animals.