What is the subjunctive tense?

Actually, the subjunctive is not referred to as a tense, such as preterit or future, but rather as a mood.

The subjunctive mood expresses uncertainty, doubt, wishes, desires, and conditions that are unreal or contrary to fact.

The indicative mood states facts and expresses certainty or reality.

Does English use the subjunctive mood?

Yes, Homer, but it is used far more frequently in Spanish.

Example: It is important that he go to a good school.

When does one know when to use subjunctive?

In order to use the subjunctive, it is important that we have A WEDDING

¡Maravilloso!¿Una boda?

A W.E.D.D.I,N.G. is actually an acronym to help us remember all of the different ways we use the subjunctive mood.

is for Adverbial phrases

a fin de que: so thatpara que: so thata menos que: unlessantes de que: beforecon tal que: provided thaten caso de que: in case (that)sin que: without

Adverbial Phrases include:

is for

Wishing, wanting or requesting

aconsejar: to advise or counseldesear: to wish, to wantexigir: to demandinsistir: to insistmandar: to command, to orderpedir: to ask forpreferir: to preferquerer: to wantrogar:to begsuplicar: to plead

Wishing, wanting and requesting

Stands for EMOTIONS:

alegrarse de que: to be happy that

entristecerse de que: to be sad that

esperar: to hope

ojalá: if only/god willing

sorprenderse de que : surprised that

temer que: to fear that

tener miedo de que: to be afraid that

is for

Doubt¿creer?¿pensar?dudarno creer ¿Hay alguién que…? (Is

there someone who…)

Busco a una persona que…

I am looking for a person that….

2is for:

DENIALnegar: to deny

prohibir: to prohibit

mpersonal Expressions

Es importante que es menester que: it is important that

Es imposible que es necesario que:

Es lastima que: it is a pity that es preciso que: it is necessary that

Es mejor que: it is better that es posible que

Mas vale que: it is better that es probable que

necesitar: to need

sentir que: to feel sorrylamentar: to lament, to feel bad that

In order to have A WEDDING, we need 3 things:

1. an independent verb or phrase, “a strong verb”

In this case, a strong, independent woman

She must make the proposal

2. A dependent verb that will submit to the independent verb

In between the independent and the dependent, there is another important element

Proposals are completed with a wedding ring. We usually say that the ring is 14K or 12K

For our purposes, we will say that the proposal is complete with 1K (que)

In order to form subjunctive, we must have three requirements

1. The independent verb or phrase, or WEDDING phrase

2. The dependent verb: (He must change)

The (K) que in between

To be successful in his marriage, we know that the dependent MUST CHANGE

The general rule for changing dependent verbs into subjunctive is by adding the opposite vowel ending.

hablarque yo: hable

que tu: hables

que el hable

que nosotros hablemos

que vosotros habléis

que ellos hablen

The opposite vowel rule is always true in the subjunctive:

However, there are different families of verbs that have different rules about how the stem of the verb changes.

With verbs that stem change e-ie, o-ue, or e-i

Always stem-change first, and then put on the opposite vowel ending.

Verbs that change to “go” in “yo” form in the present tense must change as such and then you put on the opposite vowel ending.

pongo = ponga vengo = venga oigo = oiga

hago = haga digo = diga

The i changes to y in verbs that end in -uir in present tense.

Present (el)

Subj. (el)

construir construye construya

distribuir distribuye distribuya

Verbs that end in –cer or –cir change in yo form present tense to –zco.

Present

(yo)

Subj. (yo)

conocer conozco conozca

conducir conduzco conduzca

-zar: z changes to ce

-gar: g changes to gue

-car: c changes to que

saber: sepa dar: dé

ir: vaya caber: quepa

haber: haya

estar: esté