23 First SUBJUNCTIVE FOR BEGINNERS Flashcards
The subjunctive mood is essential to Spanish, and even many simple types of statements can’t be made properly without it.
In general, the subjunctive is a verb mood that is used to express an action or state of being in the context of the speaker’s reaction to it.
el subjuntivo es un estado de ánimo del verbo que se usa para expresar una acción o estado de ser en el contexto de la reacción del hablante ante él.
Most commonly (although not always), the subjunctive verb is used in a clause that starts with the relative pronoun que (meaning “which,” “that” or “who”).
Frequently, the sentences that contain a subjunctive verb are used to express doubt, uncertainty, denial, desire, commands or reactions to the clause containing the subjunctive verb. Compare the following sentences:
INDICATIVE:
Los hombres trabajan.
The men are working.
SUBJUNCTIVE:
Espero que los hombres trabajen.
I hope the men are working.
INDICATIVE (statement of fact):
INDICATIVO (declaración de hecho):
Britney está enferma.
(Britney is sick.)
SUBJUNCTIVE (doubt):
No es cierto que Britney esté enferma.
It is uncertain that Britney is sick.
iNDICATIVE (statement of fact):
Sé que Britney está enferma.
I know that Britney is sick.
SUBJUNCTIVE (denial):
No es verdad que Britney esté enferma.
It is not true that Britney is sick.
SUBJUNCTIVE (reaction):
I am unhappy that Britney is sick.
I am happy that Britney is healthy.
No estoy contento de que Britney esté enferma
Estoy feliz que Britney esté sana.
SUBJUNCTIVE (desire):
I hope that Britney is not sick.
Espero que Britney no esté enferma.
SUBJUNCTIVE (desire):
We prefer that Britney be healthy.
Preferimos que Britney esté sana.
SUBJUNCTIVE (command):
I insist that Britney be healthy.
Insisto que Britney esté sana.
Note the use of the subjunctive mood in the English translation of the final two examples. If the indicative mood were used in English in the final example (I insist that Britney is sick), the speaker would be insisting that a fact is true; when the subjunctive is used in this instance, it expresses what the speaker wants to be true (whether it is or not is immaterial to the meaning of the sentence).
Similarly, in Spanish sentences where either the subjunctive or indicative mood can be used, the choice almost always affects the meaning of the sentence. In this way, the subjunctive mood can sometimes be used in Spanish to indicate doubt or feelings in ways that aren’t available in English by merely changing the verb form.
IMPERSONAL EXPRESSIONS:
Of the type “es + adjective + que” are almost always followed by a verb in the subjunctive mood. This is because such expressions usually indicate either a value judgment or a desire.
Some Examples Below:
It is important that we be on the same page.
Es importante que ESTEMOS en la misma página.
It’s surprising no one has gone to jail.
Es sorprendente que nadie HAYA IDO a la cárcel.
It is not good for the man to be alone.
No es bueno que el hombre ESTÉ sólo.
It’s possible that some websites don’t display or function properly in that browser.
Es posible que algunos sitios web no se MUESTREN o FUNCIONEN correctamente en ese navegador.
It’s necessary for them to close the schools.
Es necesario que CIRREN las escuelas.
The host family is prohibited from lodging other students.
It is forbidden for the host family to host other students.
Es prohibido que la familia anfitriona ALOJE otros estudiantes.
It’s interesting that the team is winning.
Es interesante que el equipo GANE.
It’s natural that I’m in love with you.
Es natural que yo ESTÉ enamorado de ti.
THE SAME HOLDS TRUE IN OTHER TENSES
SEE BELOW
It was urgent for him to arrive at the city.
Era urgente que LLEGARA a la ciudad.
It will be necessary for you to go to Buenos Aires.
Será preciso/(necesario) que VAYAS a Buenos Aires.
IMPERSONAL VERBS: with similar meanings and followed by que also are followed by a verb in the subjunctive:
The main exception to using the subjunctive after expressions of the type “es + adjective + que” occurs when the impersonal expression explicitly states that what follows is factual:
It doesn’t interest me that the team is winning.
{It is not interesting (3rd Pers) to me}
No me interesa que el equipo GANE.
It is important that the family receives the money.
Importa que la familia RECIBA el dinero.
FACTUAL: It’s obvious I’m worried.
Es obvio que estoy preocupado.
FACTUAL: It is certain that the family is in crisis.
Es cierto que la familia está en crisis.
Since the subjunctive mood in general is used to refer to occurrences that are either contrary to reality or are only possibilities, it’s easy to forget sometimes that, due to sentence structure, the subjunctive can be used to refer to events that are a reality.
the most common way for the subjunctive to be used is in a sentence of this type.
subject (may be implied) + indicative verb + que + subject (may be implied) + subjunctive verb
when the indicative verb is used to state a command, permission or a desire.
Thus statements such as:
quiero que salga (I want him to leave),
mando que salga (I am ordering him to leave),
permito que salga (I am permitting him to leave),
autorizo que salga (I am authorizing him to leave)
consiento que salga (I am giving consent for him to leave)
all use the subjunctive mood.
In those sample sentences, such uses of "querer que" , "mandar que", "permitir que", "autorizar que" (to authorize) and "consentir que"
all require use of the subjunctive in the following clause, regardless of whether the verb action in the subjunctive is a reality or not.
There are some other verbs that can prompt use of the subjunctive when followed by que, even when the subjunctive refers to a real occurrence:
BELOW:
Causar:
Diabetes causes wounds to not heal well.
La diabetes causa que las heridas no SE CUREN bien. (Pres Subj)
Obligar:
The law requires us to attend.
La ley obliga que ASISTAMOS (Pres Subj)
Producir:
The rain resulted in me being left without e-mail.
La lluvia produjo(1) que me QUEDARA(2) sin correo electrónico. (1) (3rd Pers Preterite) (2)(Imperfect Subjunctive)
Vigilar:
He made sure that we will go to the school.
Vigiló que VAYAMOS a la escuela. (Pres Subj)
Thought.com
Present Subjunctive
Present Perfect Subjunctive
Imperfect Subjunctive
Past Perfect (or Pluperfect) Subjunctive
Verbarrator
Present Subjunctive = I work, am working
Present Perfect = I have worked, worked
Imperfect Subjunctive = I worked , was working
Past Perfect , Pluperfect = I had worked
Remember that, generally speaking, the subjunctive is used in dependent clauses. Which form of the subjunctive is used depends on two factors:
The tense of the verb in the main clause
The time relationship between the subjunctive verb in the dependent clause and the main verb
PRESENT
If the main verb is in the present, future, or present perfect (HAVE) tense or the imperative mood, and the dependent (subjunctive) verb refers to action that takes place (whether in actuality or not) at the same time or after the main verb, then the dependent verb should be in the PRESENT Subjunctive.
Example: Espero que COMAS. (I hope you eat.)
PRESENT PERFECT THE “HAVE” , “HAS” TENSE
If the main verb is in the present, future or present perfect tense or imperative mood, and the dependent (subjunctive) verb refers to action that has been completed (whether in actuality or not), then the dependent verb should be in the PRESENT PERFECT subjunctive.
Example: Espero que HAYAS comido. (I hope you have eaten.)
IMPERFECT
If the main verb is in the preterite, imperfect, past perfect or conditional tense, and the dependent (subjunctive) verb refers to action that takes place (whether in actuality or not) at the same time or after the action of the main verb, then the IMPERFECT Subjunctive is used.
Example: Esperé que comieras. (I hoped you ate.)
THE “WAS” TENSE
PAST PERFECT—PLUPERFECT “HAD”
If the main verb is in the preterite, imperfect, past perfect or conditional tense, and the dependent verb refers to action that has been completed (whether in actuality or not), then the PAST PERFECT Subjunctive (also called PLUPERFECT Subjunctive) is used. Example:
Esperé que hubieras comido. (I hoped you had eaten.)
These verbs are often the equivalent of English verbs taking the form of “HAD + participle.”
THE “HAD” TENSE
Another Analysis of Subjunctive Tenses
Here’s another way to look at the sequence of verb tenses:
If the main verb is in a present or future tense, use either the present subjunctive or present perfect subjunctive, depending on whether the subjunctive verb refers to action (or presumed action) that has been completed.
If the main verb is in a past or conditional tense, use either the IMPERFECT or PAST PERFECT/PLUPERFECT subjunctive, depending on whether the subjunctive verb refers to action has has been completed (or presumably completed) at the time of the action in the main verb.
PRESENT
¿Por qué preferimos que Siri SEA una mujer? (Why do we prefer that Siri be a woman?)
Both the main verb, preferemos, and the dependent verb, sea (from ser) are in the present tense. The dependent verb refers to an action that takes place in the present.
PRESENT PERFECT
No estoy feliz que el presidente HAYA GANADO la elección. (I am not happy that that the president has won the election.)
The present perfect subjunctive is used because the election is a completed action.
IMPERFECT
Sus amigos consolaron a Pablo luego de que él PERDIERA el juego. (His friends consoled Pablo after he lost the game.)
Because the main verb is in the preterite and its action clearly took place after the action in the dependent clause, the imperfect tense is used to refer to the completed action.
PLUPERFECT
La doctora negó que HUBIERA COMPRADO un apartamento en ese edificio. (The doctor denied she had bought an apartment in that building.)
The action of the dependent verb took place (or didn’t) at an indefinite time, and the main verb is in the preterite, so the pluperfect is used.
EXAMPLES OF “HACER QUE”
The same is the case with “hacer que” when it means “to make someone do something.” In other words, it’s the use of hacer que that prompts use of the subjunctive mood, not the reality of the event.
EXAMPLES OF “HACER QUE”
She made it look easy.
Ella hace que PAREZCA fácil.
It makes us feel safe.
Hace que nos SINTAMOS seguros. (PRES SUBJ)
You’re making me emotional.
Estás haciendo que me emocione.
You make life worth living.
Haces que VALGA la pena vivir.
I must get it fixed.
(I have to have it fixed).
I have to fix it.
Tengo que hacer que lo arreglen.
Tengo que arreglarlo.
I can get us out of this.
Puedo hacer que SALGAMOS de esto.
I can’t get the car to start.
No puedo hacer que el carro ENCIENDA
We can’t make the world stop.
No podemos hacer que el mundo se DETENGA.
3rd Pers Sing Pres Subj “detener”
Can you get the door to shut?
¿Puedes hacer que SE CIERRE la puerta?
Before we get into this, remember the:
Present Perfect Indicative tense - “Karl has left”
Past Perfect Indicative tense: “Karl had left”
and So running through the four subjunctive tenses yields:
PRESENT SUBJUNCTIVE
“I doubt that Karl will leave / is leaving”
“Dudo que Karl salga”
PRESENT PERFECT SUBJUNCTIVE:
“I doubt that Karl has left” (NB “has” left)
“Dudo que Karl haya salido”
and So running through the four subjunctive tenses yields:
IMPERFECT SUBJUNCTIVE:
“I doubted that Karl would leave”
“Dudé que Karl saliera”
PAST PERFECT / PLUPERFECT SUBJUNCTIVE:
“I doubted that Karl had left” (NB “had” left)
“Dudé que Karl hubiera salido”
All of the different times the imperfect subjunctive can be used along with specific examples in each category.
- Past and Present
The imperfect subjunctive is used when you are indicating an action in the past in the same situation where the subjunctive would be required in the present.
For example, look at this sentence in the present subjunctive:
Es emocionante que Maria me lea el periódico.
Es emocionante que nuestro equipo juegue bien.
For example, look at this sentence in the present subjunctive:
It is exciting that Maria reads the newspaper to me.
It is exciting that our team plays well
If you want to say the same thing but in the past, you use the imperfect subjunctive. To change something that is in the present to the imperfect subjunctive you change the verbs.
So you change “es” and “lea”
es → era lea → leyera
The sentence will now look like this:
Era emocionante que Maria me leyera el periódico.
Era emocionante que nuestro equipo jugara bien.
This now translates to:
It was exciting that Maria would read the news to me.
It was exciting that our team played well
- Expressions of Desire/Wishes or Doubt
The imperfect subjunctive is commonly used when you are trying to express a desire of something you wish to happen, or when you are expressing doubt for something you are unsure of.
A. Wishes
In situations where you are hoping for something to happen in Spanish, the phrase “Ojalá que” is used often.
So, let’s say you want to say “I hope it would rain on Wednesday.” (Should this not be “I hope it will rain on Wednesday”)
Then you would take the present sentence in spanish:
Ojalá que llueva el miércoles.
Which means:
I hope it rains on Wednesday.
{NB ojalá me equivoque = I wish I was wrong}
And then you change the verb into imperfect subjunctive:
llueva → lloviera
Then you make that change in the sentence:
Ojalá que lloviera el miércoles.
I wish it rained on Wednesday
You can also use ojalá without the word que. Let’s see some examples.
¡Ojalá lloviera ahora!
(I wish it rained now!)
¡Ojala me ganara la lotería!
(I wish I won the lottery!)
¡Ojalá nevara!
(I wish it snowed!)
¡Ojalá pudiera descansar mañana!
(I wish I could rest tomorrow!)
Other expressions that usually indicate your desire or wish for something include sentences that start with the following:
phrases:
Espero que…
Deseo que…
Quiero que…
Exigo que…
Prefiero que…
Pido que…
B. Doubt
Expressions that usually indicate your doubt for something include sentences that start with the following phrases:
Dudo que…
No creo que…
No estoy seguro que…
No pienso que…
Niego que… (I deny that)- Si (If) Events
The imperfect subjunctive is also used when you use an if clause when trying to explain something that is contrary-to-fact or unlikely to happen.
So, for example when you say:
If I worked harder, I would get promoted (What is actually said is “they would promote me”)
This would translate to:
Si trabajara más duro, me promovieran.
This sentence is using the if clause to explain why the person cannot do something. So contrary to the fact that that person did their job, they were not promoted because they did not work hard enough. But using the if clause simplifies this sentence.
You can see that the two verbs in the Spanish sentence were conjugated according to the trick that I showed you above.
trabajar →yo trabajara
promover → ellos promovieran (3rd Pers Plural Imperfect Subj)
Spanish speakers use the Spanish imperfect subjunctive in the “if clause” of these conditional sentences. The English equivalent of these unreal sentences is the second conditional.
In English, second conditional sentences are the ones that have a past verb in the “if clause” and the auxiliary verb “would” in the main clause. Let’s see some examples.
If + IMPERFECT SUBJUNCTIVE
If I knew the answer,
Si supiera la respuesta,
WOULD CLAUSE
I would give it to you.
te la diría.
If I knew the answer, I would give it to you.
Si supiera la respuesta, te la diría.
If they offered me the job, I would accept it.
Si ellos me ofrecieran el trabajo, lo aceptaría.
If I had a lot of money, I would buy a house.
Si tuviera mucho dinero, compraría una casa.
If I were taller, I would enter the team.
Si fuera más alto, entraría al equipo.
(If you did not smoke, you would not be sick.)
Si no fumaras, no estarías enfermo.
Where would you live if you could live anywhere in the world?
¿Dónde vivirías si pudieras vivir en cualquier parte del mundo?
- Que → That
When you hear people speak in Spanish, you might hear the word que a lot. The que might actually mean different things depending on where it is placed in a sentence and where the accent mark falls.
For this imperfect subjunctive example, the closest translation we can get to expressing que is with the word “that”.
For instance, if you wanted to say something like “I study so that I can speak better Spanish”, the “that” would be the replacement of the word “que” when using the imperfect subjunctive.
The imperfect subjunctive is used in the dependent clause after you use the word “que” but only when the independent clause is in the past tense.
e.g.
I wanted him to drink a tequila with me.
Yo quería que él tomara un tequila conmigo.
As you can see, you don’t necessarily need “that” in this sentence. In fact, it sounds better without “that” in English. But in Spanish you need to use it because you are expressing the imperfect subjunctive of what you want or expect to happen.
When you say “I wanted him to drink a tequila with me”, you have to use the imperfect subjunctive because you want someone to do something that is not a concrete moment or thought. It is a desire or expectation that is not substantially real.
Important: Never use the subjunctive mood to express positive opinions in Spanish. As we learned before, you can use it to express doubts or negative opinions.
Creí que llegaras a tiempo (incorrect Subj)
Creí que llegarías a tiempo (correct Future)
No creí que llegaras a tiempo. (correct Neg +Subj )
- Being Polite
The imperfect subjunctive is also used in some polite expressions that contain Spanish modal verbs. Let’s us see!
For example:
I would like to attend the party.
Would translate to:
Quisiera asistir a la fiesta.
How would you say:
Should I go with you?
The word should is the same as the verb deber. So how would you translate this sentence? Keep in mind that you need to use the imperfect subjunctive. Try writing it down and then continue to scroll down for the answer.
Here’s the answer:
¿Debería ir con ustedes?
Could you bring me my purse, please?
¿Pudiera traerme mi cartera, por favor?
Now I’ll share with you some set expressions that are formed with the Spanish imperfect subjunctive.
All of these expressions contain one of the following Spanish modal verbs: querer (want), poder (can), deber (should), parecer (seem).
I would not like to miss that movie!
¡No quisiera perderme esa película!
I would like to ask a question.
Quisiera hacer una pregunta.
Could you help me?
¿Pudieras ayudarme?
You should be humble.
Tú deberias ser humilde.
It seems to be that you don’t know what I am talking about.
Pareciera que no sabes de qué hablo.
