Subjunctive regular Flashcards
The subjunctive is not a tense; rather, it is a mood. Tense refers to when an action takes place (past, present, future), while mood merely reflects how the speaker feels about the action. The subjunctive mood is rarely used in English, but it is widely used in Spanish.
examples:
The doctor recommends that he take the pills with food. Subjunctive conjugation: he take The law requires that you be 18 years old to vote. Subjunctive conjugation: you be If I were a rich man, I wouldn't have to work hard. Subjunctive conjugation: I were
The subjunctive mood is used to express everything except certainty and objectivity: things like doubt, uncertainty, subjectivity, etc.
Yo dudo que usted vaya al Perú en diciembre.
I doubt that you are going to Peru in December.
The difference between indicative and subjunctive is the difference between certainty/objectivity (indicative) and possibility/subjectivity (subjunctive).
Indicative: John goes to the store.
(This sentence merely states the certain, objective fact that John goes to the store.)
Subjunctive: I want John to go to the store.
(The clause “I want” tells us that the speaker feels that there is uncertainty as to whether John goes to the store.)
In learning to use the subjunctive, it is quite helpful if one can first recognize such clauses. The following is a list of clauses commonly associated with the use of the subjunctive:
a menos que …
unless …
antes (de) que …
before …
con tal (de) que ... provided that ...
cuando …
when …
Clauses commonly associated with the use of the subjunctive:
conviene que …
it is advisable that …
después (de) que …
after …
dudar que …
to doubt that …
en caso de que …
in case …
Clauses commonly associated with the use of the subjunctive:
en cuanto …
as soon as …
es aconsejable que …
it’s advisable that …
es bueno que …
it’s good that …
es difícil que …
it’s unlikely that …
es dudoso que …
it is doubtful that …
Clauses commonly associated with the use of the subjunctive:
es fácil que …
it’s likely that …
es fantástico que …
it’s fantastic that …
es importante que …
it’s important that …
es imposible que …
it’s impossible that …
es improbable que …
it’s unlikely that …
Clauses commonly associated with the use of the subjunctive:
es incierto que …
it’s uncertain that …
es increíble que …
it’s incredible that …
es (una) lástima que …
it’s a pity that …
es malo que …
it’s bad that …
es mejor que …
it’s better that …
List of expressions with which the subjunctive is NOT used
creer que …
to believe that …
no dudar que …
to not doubt that …
es cierto que …
it is certain that …
es claro que …
it is clear that …
List of expressions with which the subjunctive is NOT used
es evidente que …
it is certain that …
es obvio que …
it is obvious that …
estar seguro que …
to be sure that …
es verdad que …
it is true that …
List of expressions with which the subjunctive is NOT used
no cabe duda que …
there’s no doubt that …
no es dudoso que …
it is not doubtful that …
no hay duda que …
there is no doubt that …
Indicative Mood
certainty and objectivity
Subjunctive Mood
uncertainty and subjectivity
For most verbs, the present subjunctive is formed by following these three steps:
Start with the yo form of the present indicative. Then drop the -o ending. Finally, add the following endings:
- ar verbs:
- e, -es, -e, -emos, -éis, en
- er and -ir verbs:
- a, -as, -a, -amos, -áis, -an
Regular -ar verbs like hablar (yo hablo).
hablo - o = habl
habl + e = hable
habl + es = hables
habl + e = hable
habl + emos = hablemos
habl + éis = habléis
habl + en = hablen
