EL SUBJUNTIVO

It’s all in the mood!

What you will be learning next In Español 3

You need to take notes on the subjunctive Jot down why the subjunctive is used A LOT in

Spanish How to conjugate verbs in the subjunctive and any

examples that might help you understand the uses of the subjunctive

Verbs show the action and they also show a tense and a mood.

The tense tells you the time of the action

Present, preterit, future, etc are tenses.

The mood tells the speaker’s attitude towards the action.Indicative, commands and the subjunctive are moods.

The indicative moods tells it like it is:

Juan es mi novio.Juan is my boyfriend. Ayer, fuimos al cine.

Yesterday, we went to the movie.

A command tells someone to do something.

Vayan Uds. a la tienda. You (pl.) go to the store.

Rafael, despiértese a las seis. Rafael, get up at six.

Escuchen Uds. a la maestra siempre. You(pl.) listen to the teacher always.

The subjunctive mood wishes, suggests and fantasizes about things.

I suggest that Juan drive. Sugiero que Juan conduzca.

She wants her daughter to be a princess. . .Ella quiere que su hija sea princesa. . .

INDICATIVE SUBJUNCTIVE You are late.

I am sick.

Juan studies.

It is important that you be on time.

I wish I were not sick.

The teacher insists that he study.

In Spanish, the subjunctive is used a lot, and you need to use it to prove that you are not

ignorant. Sugiero que mires cuando andas en bote.

I suggest that you look when you ride in a boat.

Es importante que sepas adonde va el río. It’s important that you know where the river

goes. Dudo que vayas a sobrevivir el accidente.

I doubt that you will survive the accident.

•Both the Indicative mood and the Subjunctive mood are used in compound sentences which are connected by que.

La gente sabe que la verdad es la mejor. (indicative)People know that the truth is best.

No creo que Brian venga a la fiesta a las ocho. (subjunctive) I don’t believe that Brian will come to the party at eight.

•The mood that is used depends on the Main Clause.

The INDICATIVE MOOD is objective and used to describe facts, it states what is

certain.

Estoy seguro que Juan va con nosotros.I am certain that Juan is going with us.

Es cierto que la falda roja es de algodón.There’s no doubt that the red skirt is made of cotton.

La maestra dice que hay un examen hoy.The teacher says that there’s a test today.

The SUBJUNCTIVE MOOD is subjective, it expresses feelings, judgments and emotions

about an action.

It is bad that we can’t go.Es horrible que no podamos ir.

It is scandalous that she is wearing that dress.Es escandaloso que ella lleve ese vestido.

It bothers me that he can’t come to the meeting.Me molesta que él no pueda venir a la reunión.

Notice that the SUBJUNCTIVE MOOD consists of two clauses, joined together by

“que” :

It is bad that we can’t go.

-Es horrible que no podamos ir. It’s scandalous that she is wearing that dress.

-Es escandaloso que ella lleve ese vestido. It bothers me that he can’t come.

-Me molesta que él no pueda venir

Main Clause Dependent ClauseConj.

For the dependent clause to be subjunctive, the main clause must state the

following: Impose will. I want you to study tonight. Necessity. It is necessary that you leave now. Emotion. I hope that you find the money. Doubt. I doubt that he knows the

answer. Possibility. It is possible that he is coming.

To form the Present Subjunctive tense :

Start with the present tense, yo form of the verb Tener – Tengo Remove the O – Teng Add the opposite ending just like we did to make

commands.

tenga tengamos

tengas tengáis

tenga tengan

Present Subjunctive of Tener

cuide cuidemos

cuides cuidéis

cuide cuiden

Present Subjunctive of cuidar (to care for)