Subjunctive
Subjunctive
Subjunctive
in Spanish
N.Jones
The Subjunctive
The subjunctive is an important difference between Spanish and English and particular care must
be taken in order to use it correctly. It is generally described as a "mood" and not a tense. This
does not necessarily help the learner. However, this helps us to understand that in certain
instances the use of the subjunctive gives some idea as to the feelings of the speaker regarding a
subject. Nevertheless, there are many instances where the subjunctive must be used and you
have to learn all of these. As the subjunctive has practically disappeared from English we cannot
rely on our own intuition as to when the subjunctive may be used. Basically, you have to sit down
and learn it.
The above verbs are in the present subjunctive. The first thing to notice about them is the
endings. It is almost as if the verbs in the present subjunctive have a sudden identity crisis: -ar
verbs use the endings of the -er verbs and -er and -ir verbs use the endings of -ar verbs.
Formation exercise
Work out the "I" form of the present subjunctive for these verbs. Firstly work out the first person
of the present tense and then work out the subjunctive.
Infinitive First person of the present tense First person of the present subjunctive
abrir
bailar
caer
salir
leer
poder
traer
aparecer
volver
NB Note that verbs such as llegar add a "u" to keep the sound, e.g. llegue.
Of course, as you would expect, some verbs are beyond all help and are completely irregular.
Here are some of the most frequent ones:
ir voy vaya
saber sé sepa
estar estoy esté
dar doy dé
ser soy sea
haber he haya
Use of the subjunctive
After "cuando" (or similar expressions) when referring to the future or possibility
You will have noticed that in the English sentences "when" is followed by a normal present tense.
This is not the case in the Spanish sentences. Instead of the normal present tense forms, (tengo,
vuelve, soy) there are three unfamiliar forms: tenga, vuelva, sea. This form of the verb is the
subjunctive.
So, how do you use the subjunctive ? You cannot simply use it every time you come across
cuando. Look at these sentences for example:
The difference between these sentences and the subjunctive sentences is that the ones
immediately above do not use the present subjunctive and they refer to events that do happen
on a regular basis or that did happen or have happened.
So, the sentences that do use the present subjunctive refer to events that will happen or that
have not yet happened.
NB. "Hasta que" meaning "until" works in exactly the same way as "cuando".
Exercise
Complete the following sentences with the correct part of the present subjunctive.
You probably saw that they are all about wanting other people to do things. This is a useful way of
asking people whether they want things done and of getting people to do things without being
too blunt.
Now look at these examples and say what happens to the second verb in each sentence:
As you can see, each of the second verbs has que in front and is in the present subjunctive.
Exercise 1
Express your wishes by changing these statements of what a friend has not done into statements
of what you wish your friend would do. Write down the new statements, for example:
Exercise 2
Show that you can express wishes about other people by changing these statements of what
people must do into statements of what you wish they would do. Write down the new
statements, for example:
The following expressions of good wishes are really the second halves of longer sentences. Can
you guess what the longer sentences were ?
Exercise - Now you can write what these sentences mean, and what the original sentences were:
yo te deseo la muerte
donde tú __________
y aprenderé a rezar para lograrlo
yo te deseo la muerte
donde tu __________
por dios que y aprenderé a rezar para lograrlo
The Subjunctive - exercise
Translate the following sentences into Spanish:
All these sentences talk about the hopes, wishes, desires, likes and fears of one person or a group
of people, with regard to the actions of another person or group of people. Here are some
common examples:
If you look at the verbs which are followed by a present subjunctive, you will see that they all have
certain things in common. Here they are:
These verbs are usually referred to as "verbs of emotion" because they tell us about people's
feelings with regard to events and actions. And verbs of emotion with regard to the actions of
another person or group of people must be followed by a subjunctive.
Exercise 1
When considering your future, remember that other people have an interest too. Can you
complete these sentences so that they are appropriate for you ?
8. It's only natural that she should want to be with her family at Christmas.
Subjunctive after statements of command or influence
If you wish to express a command or influence over another person or group of people in Spanish
the subjunctive is required in the second verb after "que". Verbs of influence or command are
those which involve wanting, ordering, advising prohibiting, allowing, causing or avoiding.
Remember that the command or influence must be over a different person or group of people,
otherwise the infinitive is used.
mandar
ordenar
rogar
hacer
impedir
prohibir
permitir
consentir
aconsejar
dejar
evitar
decir
Some examples of the use of the subjunctive after statements of command or influence are:
Exercise
Translate the following into Spanish:
After expressions / verbs expressing doubt or denial the subjunctive is required in the second verb
after "que". Remember that the doubt must be over a different person or group of people,
otherwise
The subjunctive is not needed.
Dudo que él tenga mi número de teléfono. (I doubt that he has my phone number.)
Niegan que los extraterrestres existan. (They deny that aliens exist.)
Tú niegas que la camisa sea mía. (You deny that the shirt is mine.)
dudar to doubt
negar to deny
quizás/tal vez = perhaps (The use of the subjunctive is optional with these words)
2. I can't see (i.e. don't believe) you've had your hair cut.
Notes
No es que yo diga que es mentira It's not that I'm saying that it's a lie
¿ No será que no quiere hacerlo ? Isn't it the case that he doesn't want to do it ?
Explicar usually takes the subjunctive except when it really means "to state" or "to say":
Esto explica que las mutaciones de la literatura estén estrechamente ligadas a las inovaciones
técnicas
This explains how changes in literature are intimately linked to technical innovations
But:
Spanish uses the subjunctive in such cases to express a nuance which English usually ignores.
Compare "los que digan eso" (if anyone does) and "los que dicen eso" "the people who say that"
(and they exist). The difference in Spanish is striking. Contrast:
If the antecedent does not exist, the verb in the relative clause [i.e. the part of the sentence
following "que"] is in the subjunctive.
a que
a fin de que
para que
con el objeto de que in order to, so that
con el propósito de que
con la intención de que
no fuera que
así que
conque so (that)
de modo que
de manera que
Exercise
3. His father died from a drunken fit, that's why he doesn't drink.
4. This is why the Pope has put pressure on the new Government.
9. I'll put your sunglasses in your suitcase in case you need them.
10. I'll buy you dinner provided that you let me choose the restaurant.
13. I'm not going to go out with you just because you've got a Ferrari.
Translating "whenever..." or "however", "whatever", "whoever", "whichever" and
"the more ..."
After the following expressions the subjunctive is used when referring to an event which has or
had not yet happened:
1. However you do it, she will always say that you are wrong.
HABLAR
hablara hablase
hablaras hablases
hablara hablase
habláramos hablásemos
hablarais hablaseis
hablaran hablasen
COMER
comiera comiese
comieras comieses
comiera comiese
comiéramos comiésemos
comierais comieseis
comieran comiesen
VIVIR
viviera viviese
vivieras vivieses
viviera viviese
viviéramos viviésemos
vivierais vivieseis
vivieran viviesen
The imperfect subjunctive will be used in the same way as the present subjunctive. However, it
will follow a past tense sequence (see sheet on tense sequence).
Si yo fuera un chico
sé que ________ saber,
comprender mucho mejor lo que es _____ a una mujer.
________ escuchar,
pues ________ el dolor
de perder a quien se quiere porque ________ lo que tienes
y ________ sin saber que pasó
Si yo fuera un chico,
pero _____ no lo soy
Los chicos ________ de molde
y nosotras ________ de corazón
Se piensan que son
los del sexo ________
pero cuando los queremos
los vence ________ seducción
…. seducción
Si yo fuera un chico
se que ________ saber,
comprender mucho mejor lo que es ________ a una mujer.
________ escuchar,
pues ________ el dolor
de perder a quien se quiere porque ________ lo que tienes
y ________ sin saber que pasó
To form this tense, you take the future stem (which is generally the infinitive) and add the –ER/-IR
imperfect endings.
The three above are regular verbs. Remember a number of Spanish verbs have irregular future
stems. The endings are still the same as regular verbs only the stem changes. Here is a list of the
most common ones:
10. Si tuviera que organizar una excursión para mi grupo de español ...
The imperfect subjunctive - another use for it !!!
Another use for the imperfect subjunctive is to say sentences along the lines of "What if ... ?", e.g.
And what if it were to rain = ¿ Y si lloviera ?
Exercise
2. Preceded by ojalá (I hope - when followed by the present subjunctive- If only - when
followed by the imperfect subjunctive) and quién (If only - when followed by the imperfect
subjunctive). Así, used jokingly, paraodies a typical gypsy curse:
i. Tal vez and quizá(s) may be used with either the subjunctive or the indicative. However, it
is important to remember that if the event is still in the future only the future indicative or the
present subjunctive may be used, not the present indicative:
ii. Acaso followed by the subjunctive is rather literary in the meaning "perhaps": Acaso sea
verdad que ... = Perhaps it is true that ... . However, it is very common in all styles followed by the
indicative, particularly in order to add a sarcastic note to questions:
¿ Acaso no saben los críticos que esta novela la escribí cuando tenía dieciséis años ?
Don't the critics know that I wrote this novel when I was sixteen ?
iii. A lo mejor does not take the subjunctive. Furthermore it is largely confined to spoken
language:
4. Some common phrases which are un explainable! You just have to learn them!!!
ii. In the phrases "que yo sepa / que yo recuerde" meaning "as far as I know / remember":
Que yo recuerde es la primera vez que le ha visto.
As far as I remember it's the first time I've seen him.
Exercise
2. Leave me alone !
8. She says she's got a headache, in other words she won't be coming to the cinema tonight.
Exercise - Look at the road signs below. Select the correct verb and make the correct POLITE
negative command.
Exercise - Translate the following into Spanish. They all include formal or negative commands
relating to job interview technique.
1. After "cuando", "hasta que", "en cuanto" when refering to the future or possibility.
2. After "querer que" (Also "preferir que", "persuadir que", "rogar que", "pedir que")
4. Expressions of evaluation e.g. Es justo que haya perdido / Es inútil que les pidamos más
6. After expressions and verbs expressing doubt e.g. Es posible que me lo dé / Dudo que
venga / No es seguro que lo haya dicho
7. After verbs of saying, thinking and believing when used negatively e.g No creo que sea
verdad
8. After "que" when the antecedent is negative or uncertain e.g. Busco un médico que sepa
acupunctura / No hay nadie que piense como yo
9. After superlatives (+ único, último, primero) e.g. Es el mejor cantante que hayamos oído
10. After certain subordinators e.g. "para que" / "a menos que" / "no es que" etc.
10. After expressions such as "comoquiera que" (however), "dondequiera que" (wherever),
"comoquiera que" (however), etc. e.g. Cuandoquiera que te sientas solo, llámame.
11. Conditional sentences beginning with "if". (Imperfect subjunctive only) e.g. Si fuera rico,
viajaría por el mundo.
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Subjunctive
Read through the cartoon + highlight the examples of the
subjunctive. You must then decide why the subjunctive is
used. Which of the WEIRDO categories applies?
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The Subjunctive - Revision Exercises
Hay que completar las siguientes frases: