the spanish subjunctive: review. the spanish subjunctive it is used to express the hypothetical or...
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The Spanish Subjunctive: Review
The Spanish SubjunctiveIt is used to express the hypothetical or subjective, such as a speaker’s attitudes, wishes, feelings, emotions, or doubts.
Unlike the indicative, which states facts, the subjunctive describes actions or states that are not yet reality at all (and maybe never will be).
The Spanish SubjunctiveNotice the following examples:
Creo que Luis va a Cartagena. I believe that Luis is going to
Cartagena. (Certainty: indicative)
No creo que Luis vaya a San Andrés. I don’t think that Luis is going to San
Andrés. (Uncertainty: subjunctive)
If we are careful to begin with this step, verbs with irregular stems and yo forms will be included and will not be considered irregular in the subjunctive:
conocer → conozco
The forms of the subjunctive
hablo como vivo
decir → digo
hacer → hago
perder → pierdo
querer → quiero
pedir → pido traer → traigo
oír → oigo tener → tengo
venir → vengo
ver → veo
dormir → duermo
Step 1: Start with the yo form of the verb in the present tense (this applies to all three conjugations):
The forms of the subjunctive
habl com viv
Step 2: Take off the final o of the yo form:
Step 3: Add the “opposite” endings:
For -ar verbs: Add -er verb endings.
hablhablhabl
hablhablhabl
eese
emoséisen
Notice that the first- and third-person singular forms are identical.
o o o
The forms of the subjunctiveStep 3: Add the “opposite” endings:
For -er and -ir verbs: Add -ar verb endings to both.
comcomcom
comcomcom
aasa
amosáisan
vivvivviv
vivvivviv
aasa
amosáisan
Again, first- and third-person singular forms are identical.
recordar (o ue)
recuerderecuerdesrecuerderecordemosrecordéisrecuerden
perder (e ie)
pierdapierdaspierdaperdamosperdáispierdan
Remember, however, that stem changes do not apply to nosotros and vosotros forms.
The forms of the subjunctiveStem-changing -ar and -er verbs have the same stem changes as in the present indicative.
-car c qu
The forms of the subjunctiveThe following spelling changes occur in all forms of the present subjunctive with verbs whose infinitives end in -car, -gar, and -zar.
-gar g gu -zar z cbuscarbusquebusquesbusquebusquemosbusquéisbusquen
llegarlleguellegueslleguelleguemoslleguéislleguen
empezarempieceempiecesempieceempecemosempecéisempiecen
Dar
Ir
Ser
Haber
Estar
Saber
dé, des, dé, demos, deis, den
vaya, vayas, vaya, vayamos, vayáis, vayan
sea, seas, sea, seamos, seáis, sean
haya, hayas, haya, hayamos, hayáis, hayan
esté, estés, esté, estemos, estéis, estén
sepa, sepas, sepa, sepamos, sepáis, sepan
There are only six truly irregular verbs, that is, verbs to which we cannot apply our three-step process.
The forms of the subjunctive
When listed in the following order, the initial letters of each verb form the acronym DISHES, a useful memory device.
Yo quiero que Juan vaya a la fiesta.
main clause subordinate clause
The usage of the subjunctiveThe subjunctive normally occurs in the subordinate clause of a two-part sentence (hence the term subjunctive) and generally is preceded by the relator que or an adverb such as cuando, donde, etc.Normally, the main clause has a different subject and verb than the subordinate clause.
1. Cause or prevention.
3. Falseness or unreality.
2. Personal bias or emotion.
The usage of the subjunctive
If the main clause expresses . . .
. . . the subjunctive is used in the subordinate clause.
Benjamín quiere que Antonio ponga la mesa.
Yo insisto en que tú hagas el trabajo.
Prohibimos que los clientes fumen en la oficina.
(Notice that que unites the two clauses.)
(indicative: pone)
(indicative: haces)
(indicative: fuman)
The usage of the subjunctive1. Cause or prevention: When the subject in the main
clause uses a verb that tends to cause or prevent something in the subordinate clause, the subjunctive is always used in the subordinate clause.
Cause
querer insistir recomendar mandar
pedir permitir aconsejar obligar
necesitar sugerir
ser importante, imprescindible, permisible, necesario, innecesario, preferible, mejor, urgente
Prevention
impedir prohibir no permitir
The usage of the subjunctiveFollowing are some common verbs and expressions that might be used to cause or prevent.
Me alegro de que tú saques buenas notas.
¡Qué lástima que ellos no sepan su número de teléfono!
Lamento que hayas perdido tu dinero.
Me gusta que Alfredo te ayude.
(indicative: sacas)
(indicative: saben)
(indicative: has perdido)
(indicative: ayuda)
The usage of the subjunctive2. Personal bias or emotion: When the verb in the
main clause expresses a feeling, emotion, or personal bias, the subjunctive is usually (but not always) used in the subordinate clause.
gustar alegrarse (de) apenarasombrar sorprender entristecertemer esperar sentir
ser triste ser una lástima ser maravillososer bueno, terrible, horroroso, fantástico, etc.
estar alegre, contento, triste, etc.
ojalá
The usage of the subjunctiveFollowing are some common verbs and expressions that express personal bias or emotion.
Es verdad que los niños comen demasiado. Estoy seguro que Alonzo tiene su pasaporte.
No creemos que vaya a nevar mañana. Mis amigos dudan que yo pueda pilotear el avión. No hay nadie que sepa la verdad.
The usage of the subjunctive3. Falseness or unreality: If the main clause
indicates that something is true or indeed exists, the indicative is used in the subordinate clause.
By contrast, if the main clause indicates doubt, falseness or unreality, the subjunctive is used in the subordinate clause.
Truthcreer estar seguro jurarafirmar confirmar asegurarser cierto ser indudable ser evidenteser obvio ser verdad ser (estar) claro
Falsenessno creer negar no estar segurodudar no poder creerser (im)posible ser (im)probableno ser verdad no ser cierto
The usage of the subjunctiveFollowing are some common verbs and expressions that express truth or falseness.
ESCAPA
en caso de quesin quecon tal (de) queantes (de) quepara quea menos que
(in case)(without, unless)(provided that)(before)(so that, in order that)(unless)
The usage of the subjunctiveFinally, the subjunctive is always used after the following phrases (and a few other similar ones). When listed in the order shown below, they form the acronym ESCAPA, a useful memory device.
FIN