Subjunctive Mood Flashcards
Subjunctive Mood
Subjunctive Indicators
The term “subjunctive indicators” is used for the collection of verbs that express the types of thoughts that cause the subjunctive to be used after “que”.
Mnemonic: WEIRD ( five basic reasons for using the subjunctive)
Wish
Emotion
Impersonal Expressions
Requests
Doubt(of existence or of occurrence)
Subjunctive Mood
Que
Que, the conjunction that generally joins two clauses in Spanish, is the key word. The thought expressed in the clause in front of “que” often determines the mood of the verb after “que”.
Subjunctive Mood
Subjunctive Indicators
Wish
Wishes
If the point of the sentence is to express a hope, desire, or need, the subjunctive is used for the verb that is wished. When the first clause indicates that what follows is not necessarily a reality, but rather something the subject of the first clause desires or needs, the verb after "que" must be in the subjunctive. You must use the subjunctive after "que" if one of the verbs of desire is somewhere before "que".
desear(to desire, to want)
esperar(to hope)
necesitar(to need)
querer(e>ie)(to want)
The expression “ojalá” is one exception in which you use the subjunctive mood without “que”.
(An Arabic expression that means “may Allah grant that “, ojalá is used in Spanish to mean “hopefully” or “if only”.
Because it is impersonal, there is no subject and technically not conjugated. It is always written in the same form and is always followed by the subjunctive mood even if there is no “que”.
Subjunctive Mood
Subjunctive Indicators
Emotion
> When the first clause expresses an emotion about what is happening in the second clause, the verb in the second clause (after “que”) is in the subjunctive mood. Therefore, verbs that express emotion are “subjunctive indicators.
Many verbs of emotion are very similar to the verb gustar.
The Spanish versions of “it angers me” or “it disappoints him” use an impersonal sentence structure , which means the subject is “it”. For this reason, the verb stays in the “él” form.
An indirect object, such as “le” is used to reflect the individual who is feeling the emotion.
> conmover(o>ue)(to move, to touch)
-(le) conmueve que = it moves (him) that
-Les conmueve que su abuela se mude* hoy. (mudarse - to move)
It moves them that their grandmother is moving today.
desilusionar(to disillusion, to disappoint)
-(le) disilusiona que = (it) disappoints (him) that
-No me disilusiona que tu equipo siempre pierda.
-It does not disappoint me that your team always loses.
emocionar(to thrill)
-(le) emociona que = it thrills (him) that
- Les emociona que su músico favorite toque.
encantar(to be delighted with)
-(le) encanta que = it delights (him) that
-Nos encanta que ustedes nos visiten
-It delights us that you guys visit us.
enfadarse(to become angry,annoyed,irritated)
-(le) enfada que = it angers (him) thay
-¿Le enfada a usted que los políticos no le escuchen?
-Does it anger you that the politicians do not listen to you?
enojarse(to become angry, to get angry, to get cross)
-(le) enoja que = it angers (him) that
Me enoja que los avaros tengan* todo el dinero.
It angers me that the greedy ones have all the money.
entristecer(to make sad)
(le) entristece que = it saddens (him) that
Le entristece que los pobres vivan* en las calles.
It saddens her that the poor live in the streets.
gustar(to please)
(le) gusta que = it pleases (him) that
No me gusta que tú siempre olvides* mi cumpleaños.
It does not please me that you always forget my birthday.
hacer(to make)
(le) hace feliz que = it makes (him) happy that
¿Les hace felices que yo pinte su casa?
Does it make them happy that I am painting their house?
hacer(to make)
(le) hace (emoción) que = it makes (him) (emotion) that
Nos hace feliz que no tengas* ningún problema.
It makes us happy that you do not have any problem.
irritar( to irritate)
(le) irrita que = it irritates (him) that
Les irrita que sepas* todo.
It irritates them that you know everything .
molestar(to bother, to annoy)
(le) molesta que = it bothers (him) that
A Rafael no le molesta que yo hable con su madre.
It does not bother Rafael that I speak with his mom.
poner
(le) pone contento que = it makes (him) content that
Les pone contentas que él les dé buenos consejos.
It makes them content that he give them good advice.
(le) pone (emoción) que = it makes (him) (emotion) that
Te pone triste que yo no pueda* asistir a tú presentation.
It makes you sad that I cannot attend your presentation.
sorprender(to surprise , to astonish)
(le) sorprende que = it surprises (him) that
No me sorprende que tú quieras* casarte con ella.
It does not surprise me that you want to marry her.
Subjunctive Mood
Subjunctive Indicators
Emotion(2)
More subjunctive indicators that express emotion.
Unlike the previous verbs, these verbs must be conjugated in order to agree with the subject of the first clause.
Notice that the verb following “que” must
be in the subjunctive mood.
> alegrarse de que = to be happy that
Me (alegro de que) Raquel utilice* el idioma extranjero.
I am happy that Raquel uses the foreign language.
enorguellecerse de que = to be proud that
No (se enorguellecen de que) su hijo tenga* problemas con la leu.
They are not proud that their son has problems with the law.
estar encantado de que = to be delighted that
Ellas (estan encantadas de que) les regalemos* una television.
They are delighted that we are giving them a TV.
lamentar que = to regret that
Toni (lamenta que) no yo esquíe* cadadia.
Toni regrets that I do not ski every day.
sentir(e>ie) que = to regret that
Constanza y Pilar (sienten que) tu libro esté* roto.
Constanza and Pilar regret that your book is ripped.
temer que = to fear that
¿(Temes que) tú hijo crea* en monstrous?
Are you afraid that your son believes in monsters?
tener miedo de que = to be afraid that
Ellos no (tienen miedo de que) las corporaciones los roben*.
They are not afraid that the corporations will rob them.
Subjunctive Mood
Subjunctive Indicators
Impersonal Expressions
> There are many expressions in Spanish that are considered impersonal because they do not have a specific person as the subject.
They are always conjugated in the “él” form because the subject is “it”
These expressions often indicate some sort of opinion about the clause that follows “que”.
Because the focus of the sentence is on the opinion being expressed rather on the action of the verb that comes after “que” , that verb is in the subjunctive.
notice in the examples that follow that the verb is already conjugated in the “él” form.
most of the expressions include “es” + adjective + “que”.
With few exceptions, any impersonal expression constructed using “es” + adjective + “que” will be followed by a verb in the subjunctive.
Examples:
conviene que = it is advisable that
No (conviene que) visites* sin llamar.
It is not advisable that you visit with calling.
más vale que = it is better that
(Más vale que) tus amigos te protejan.
It is better that your friends protect you.
puede ser que = it may be that
(Puede ser que) Rebeca no siga asistiendo a esa escuela.
It may be that Rebeca will not continue attending that school.
es bueno que = it is good that
No(es bueno que)Daniel gima cuando tiene tarea.
It is not good that Daniel whines when he has homework.
es dificil que = it is unlikely that
(Es dificil que) delvuelva* tu periódico.
It is unlikely that he will return your magazine.
es dudoso que = it is doubtful that
(Es dudoso que) almorcemos* hoy.
It is doubtful that we will eat lunch today.
es fácil que = it is likely that
(Es fácil que) ellos castiguen* al lardón.
It is likely that they will punish the thief.
es fantástico que = it is fantastic that
(Es fantástico que juegues jai alai.
It is fantastic that you play jai alai.
es hora de que = it is time that
¿(Es hora de que) salgamos* para el aeropuerto?
Is it time that we leave for the airport?
es importante que = it is important that
(Es importante que) abrace* a sus hijos.
It is important that you hug your children.
es imposible que = it is impossible that
(Es imposible que) la televisión no influya* en los niños.
It is impossible that television does not influence children.
es improbable que = it is unlikely that
(Es improbable que) Susana se ahogue* porque ella nada bien.
It is unlikely that Susan will drown because she swims well.
es increíble que = it is incredible that
(Es increíble que) durmamos* tantas horas cada noche.
It is incredible that we sleep so many hours each night.
es (una) lástima que = it is a shame that
(Es una lástima que) Belinda se vista tan mal.
It is a shame that Belinda dresses so badly.
es malo que = it is bad that
(Es malo que) contaminemos* la naturaleza.
It is bad that we pollute nature.
es mejor que = it is better that
(Es mejor que) escojas* algo muy cómodo
It is better that you choose something very comfortable.
es necesario que = it is necessary that
No (es necesario que) me convenzan*.
It is not necessary that they convince me.
es posible que = it is possible that
