Capitulo Doce - Gramatica Dos - Choosing between subjunctive and indicative

Question 1

What is important to remember about the subjunctive’s nature, especially in relationship to the indicative?

Answer 1

Remember that the subjunctive is almost always triggered. It almost always occurs in a dependent clause in which the independent clause used the indicative.

Independent clause w/ indicative + que + dependent clause w/ subjunctive.

I hope that this steak tastes good.

• (I hope) would be indicative, because it is something that is actually happening/has happened.
• “that” is what connects the indicative independent clause to subjunctive dependent clause.
• “steak tastes good” is something that is unknown/subjective/hasn’t been manifested into reality yet. We don’t know if the steak tastes good yet, so we do not speak indicatively of its goodness because our knowledge doesn’t know whether that goodness actually exists yet.

Syntactically, the two clauses are always connected by a conjunction, almost always “que.”

Dudo (indicative) que (conjunction) vaya (subjunctive) al concierto.
I doubt that I will come to the concert.

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DOUBTS AND UNCERTAINTIES

When are are asserting that something is true, the assumption is that it is indicative reality, so we used the indicative. When expressed a doubt or uncertainty, we are, by definition, calling the reality of something into question, thus forcing it into a “subjunctive” mode of speech.

Es (indicative) cierto que podemos (indicative) ver el programa.
It’s certain that we can watch the program.
Creen que funciona el televisor.
They believe the TV is working.

VS.

Dudamos (indicative) que podamos (subjunctive) ver el programa. 
We doubt that we'll be able to watch the program. 
No creen (indicative) que funcione (subjunctive) el televisor. 
They don't think that the TV is working. 

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POSSIBLE OUTCOMES

The most raw version of the indicative/subjunctive dependency. It literally is a sentence constructions exercising the idea of interdependency between the indicative and subjunctive states of being.

These constructions can necessitate the subjunctive or indicative in their expressions. The biggest difference is whether what is expressed has actually happened or is assumed/desired to happen.

These use subjunctive:
El medico dice que puedo hacer ejercicio con tal de que no me sienta peor.
The doctor says I can exercise as long as I don’t feel worse.

Fue al hospital en cuanto llegó Nati de la oficina.
She went to the hospital as soon as Nati arrived from the office.

Debes quedarte en cama hasta que nos llame el medico.
You should remain in bed until the doctor calls us.

When something has already been done or is done habitually and we’re expressing the interdependency of outcomes, we just use the indicative.

Ella siempre va al hospital tan pronto como viene la niñera.
She always goes to the hospital as soon as the babysitter arrives.

Ella fue al hospital tan pronto como vino la niñera.
She went to the hospital as soon as the babysitter arrived.

When something hasn’t been done yet, we use the subjunctive:

Ella va al hospital tan pronto como venga la niñera.
She’s going to the hospital as soon as the babysitter arrives (which hasn’t happened yet and it is not known when it will).

Question 2

In what modes of speech is the subjunctive used?

Answer 2

W.E.I.R.D.O, the nonexistent, and the possible:

Wishes
Emotions
Impersonal Expressions
Doubts
Ojalá

the

Nonexistent

and the

Possible.

After (remember, it’s almost always triggered):

-Emotion:
Me alegro de que te sientas mejor.
I am happy that you feel better.
A ellos les encanta que haya muchos cines aqui.
They love that there are many theaters here.

-Doubt or uncertainty:
Dudan que el medico sepa la repuesta.
They doubt that the doctor knows the answer.

-Impersonal Expressions/Generalizations:
Es importante que sigas las instrucciones de la enfermera.
(As a general rule ) it is important that you follow the nurse’s instructions.
Es importante que lleguemos a tiempo.
It’s important that we arrive on time.

• Ojalá (“I hope; I wish”)
  Ojalá tengamos tiempo para comer una cena nutritiva hoy.
  I hope that we have time to eat a nutritious dinner today.
  Ojalá (que) la película sea buena.
  I hope that the movie is good.
• Wishes (Volition/Desires/Opinion) - phrases used to express your desire for something to occur
  Mis amigos quieren que yo vaya con ellos al gimnasio.
  My friends desire that I go with them to the gym.
  Marta no recomienda que vayamos al concierto.
  Marta doesn’t recommend that we go to the concert.
• Nonexistent and indefinite:
  No veo a nadie que conozcamos.
  I don’t see anyone we know here. (a person we know doesn’t exist here)
  Buscan un teatro que se especialice en comedias.
  They are looking for a theater that specialized in comedies. (But they’re not sure whether it actually exists).

When you are sure that something exists, you just use the indicative:

Veo a alguien que conocemos.
I see someone that we know.
Conoces un teatro que se especializa en comedias.
You know of a theater that specializes in comedies.

• Possible outcomes (indicative or subjunctive):
  Ella fue al hospital tan pronto como vino (ind) la niñera.
  She went to the hospital as soon as the babysitter came.

Ella va al hospital tan pronto como venga (sub) la niñera.
She will go to the hospital as soon as the babysitter comes.