Chapter 11 & 12 -Everything Present Subjunctive; Subjunctive vs. Indicative

Question 1

What are all the ways in which the present subjunctive can be used?

Answer 1

W.E.I.R.D.O. and Nonexistent situations:

1. Wishes
2. Emotions
3. Impersonal Expressions
4. Recommendations
5. Doubt
6. Ojalá
7. Nonexistent situations

Question 2

What verbal mood would you use to express a statement of “wish” in Spanish, and then how would you construct it?

Answer 2

You would use the present subjunctive to express a “wish,” and the construction is as follows:

Person 1 + indicative verb + que + person 2 + subjunctive verb.

Ex:
Maria quiere que Pedro venga a la fiesta.
Maria wants that Pedro would come to the party.

Question 3

What verbal mood would you use to express a statement of “impersonal expression” in Spanish, and then how would you construct it?

Answer 3

You would use the present subjunctive to express an “impersonal expression,” and the construction is as follows:

Impersonal expression + que + change of subject + subjunctive verb.

Es importante que llegues temprano al cine.
It’s important that you arrive early to the theater.

Es importante que ustedes vengan con nosotros.
It’s important that y’all come with us.

Question 4

What verbal mood would you use to express a statement of “emotion” in Spanish, and then how would you construct it?

Answer 4

You would use the present subjunctive to express a statement of “emotion,” and the construction is as follows:

Person 1 + indicative verb of emotion + que + change of subject + subjunctive verb.

Nos alegramos de que puedas venir.
We are happy that you can come.

A ellos les encanta que haya muchos cines aquí.
They love that there are many theaters here.

Question 5

What verbal mood would you use to express a statement of “recommendation” in Spanish, and then how would you construct it?

Answer 5

You would use the present subjunctive to express a “recommendation,” and the construction is as follows:

Person 1 + indicative verb + que + person 2 + subjunctive verb.

Ex:
Yo quiere que tú saque la basura.
I want you to take out the trash.

Question 6

What verbal mood would you use to express an “ojalá” statement in Spanish, and then how would you construct it?

Answer 6

You would use the present subjunctive to express an “ojalá” statement, and the construction is as follows:

Ojalá + que + change of subject + subjunctive verb.

Ojalá que la película sea buena.
I hope that the movie is good.

Ojalá que tú tengas hambre.
I hope that you are hungry.

Question 7

What’s important to remember about forming any subjunctive sentence construction?

Answer 7

There must be a change of subject and a use of “que” to separate the indicative + que + subjunctive clause.

So, any subjunctive construction always takes this form:

Independent clause (w/ indicative verb, ojalá, or impersonal expression) + que + dependent clause (verb in subjunctive).

Question 8

What verbal mood would you use to express a statement of “doubt” in Spanish, and then how would you construct it?

Answer 8

You would use the present subjunctive to express a “recommendation,” and the construction is as follows:

Person 1 + indicative verb of doubt + que + subjunctive verb.

Dudo que él tenga hambre.
I doubt that he is hungry.

No creemos que podamos ver el juego.
We don’t believe that we’ll be able to see the game.

*** NOTE - this is the one form of the subjunctive that does not require a change of subject. One can doubt something about oneself.

Question 9

If a speaker is expressing a certainty or affirmative belief, what verb mood is used?

Answer 9

The indicative. When a speaker is expressing doubt, it is subjunctive. But expressing certainty or belief is an “indicative” mood.

The same goes for expressions of known vs. unknown situations: if you are looking for a restaurant you know exists, use the indicative. If you’re looking for a restaurant you aren’t even sure exists, use the subjunctive.

Question 10

What verbal mood would you use to express a statement of “nonexistent situation” in Spanish, and then how would you construct it?

Answer 10

You would use the present subjunctive to express a “nonexistent situation,” and the construction is as follows:

Person 1 + indicative verb + que + subjunctive verb.

No veo a nadie que conozcamos.
I don’t see anyone that we know.

Buscan un teatro que se especialice en comedias.
They are looking for a theater that specializes in comedy (but they don’t know if one actually exists).

Question 11

What are some common impersonal expressions?

Answer 11

Es bueno
Es extraño
Es fantastico 
Es horrible 
Es importante 
Es imprescindible 
Es interesante 
Es una lastima 
Es logico 
Es malo
Es mejor
Es necesario 
Es ridículo 
Es terrible

Question 12

What are some common verbs of emotion?

Answer 12

Alegrarse de 
Encantar 
Esperar 
Estar contento/a de
Fascinar
Gustar
Ojalá
Sorprender 

Molestar
Sentir
Temer
Tener miedo de

Question 13

What are some common verbs/expressions of doubt?

Answer 13

Dudar
No creer

Es dudoso 
Es improbable
No estar seguro/a de algo 
No es probable 
No es seguro 
No es cierto 
No es verdad

Question 14

What verbal mood would you use to express a statement of “possible outcome” in Spanish, and then how would you construct it?

Answer 14

You would use the present subjunctive to express a “possible outcome.” These are slightly different than normal subjunctive constructions, as they use conjunctions to trigger their uses of the subjunctive or indicative. Some conjunctions require the subjunctive, while other can go either subjunctive or indicative, depending on the context.

Question 15

What conjunctions require the use of the subjunctive in the second clause when expressing “possible outcomes”?

Answer 15

En caso de que 
Sin que
Con tal (de) que
A menos que
Para que
Antes (de) que

Question 16

What are the conjunctions which may be used in an indicative or subjunctive sense when making statements of “possible outcome”?

Answer 16

Aunque 
Cuando 
Después de que
En cuanto 
Hasta que 
Tan pronto (como)

The only way to differentiate the use of these conjunctions is by recognizing what the sentence is saying. That is, if it is referring to a completed action or habit, it’s indicative. If it’s referring to something that hasn’t yet happened or may not happen, it’s subjunctive.

Question 17

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

Answer 17

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 18

In what modes of speech is the subjunctive used?

Answer 18

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.