Download Subjunctive

Subjunctive- Present
A word about moods. Subjunctive isn’t a tense; it’s a mood. A tense is a
indicator of when something happens in time, such as future, past and
present tense. A mood is how the speaker or writer views the sentence.
1. Use
The subjunctive mood is used for situations involving uncertainty,
suppositions, or desire. It is often in a dependent clause where the subject in
the independent clause wants something to happen, but doesn’t directly
control the subject of the dependent clause. Here’s an example.
1. The coach insists that the team practices hard every day.
 The coach says that the team does practice hard.
2. The coach insists that the team practice hard every day.
 The coach tells the team to practice hard, BUT, he’s not sure that
they do. He can’t control how they practice.
There is a difference between the two. Sentence 1 is an example of a
dependent clause with a present indicative verb, “practices”. The second
sentence is and example of the subjunctive mood of the verb “practice”. The
verb mood does change the meaning of the sentence.
In English we often use the words “might” or “may” to show subjunctive.
Example: I believe you might get in trouble if you talk in class.
 I don’t control whether you get in trouble or not. It’s out of my hands
and that makes it subjunctive in the dependent clause.
We also use other tenses in English where Spanish uses the subjunctive.
You’ll see several examples of this as you go through this section.
2. Spanish Subjunctive
 Spanish uses the subjunctive more than English and it’s easier to see
 Generally it’s used when there is a change of subject in a compound
sentence.
 Use WEIRDO to remember what conditions apply in the independent
clause of the compound sentence that would make the dependent clause
subjunctive. Keep in mind that Spanish often uses the subjunctive where
English doesn’t.
Wish
I wish you would go.
Espero que vayas.
Phrases like this that require the subjunctive begin with: esperar, sugerir,
necesitar, preferir, aconsejar, insistir, querer, desear, permitir.
Emotion
María feels that her mother might be sick.
madre éste enferma.
María se siente que su
Phrases like this that require the subjunctive begin with: sentirse,
alegrarse, me gusta (etc.),
Impersonal Expression
It’s necessary for you to pay the fine.
multa.
Es necesario que pagues la
Phrases like this that require the subjunctive begin with: Es necesario, es
importante.
Requests
My mother asks that we write every day.
escribamos todos los días.
Mi madre pide que
Phrases like this that require the subjunctive begin with: pedir, decir,
mandar, prohibir, exigir (to require, demand)
Doubt
The police don’t believe that the robbers will talk.
los ladrones hablen.
El policía no cree que
Phrases like this that require the subjunctive begin with: dudar, no creer,
no pensar, no saber, negar (to deny)
When you write these phrases in the opposite way like I believe (creer)
rather than I don’t believe (no creer), you don’t use the subjunctive. Use
the indicative mood.
The police believe that the robbers will talk. El policía cree que
los ladrones hablarán.
Ojalá (Hopefully)
Hopefully we may have lots of money.
dinero.
Ojalá que tengamos mucho
 It is also used in the imperative (or command) mood. (See p.)
3. Regular Verbs
Example: This is how you would develop “You might be afraid.”
Tener miedo- To be afraid
a) First person singular conjugation in present tense.
b) Drop the last “o”
c) Add “opposite ending” (see the charts below):
Tengo miedo.
Teng miedo.
Teng +as miedo
-ar
-er/-ir
-e
-emos
-a
-amos
-es
(-éis)
-as
(-áis)
-e
-en
-a
-an
d) Finally: You might be afraid.
Tengas miedo.
4. Spelling Change Verbs

Cezar
Verbs ending in “-car, -gar, -zar” have a spelling change throughout the conjugation.
Like the “yo” form of the same verbs in the preterit for the same reason;
pronunciation.
-zar = ce
-gar = gue
-car = que
(yo) empezar = empece
jugar = jugue
tocar = toque
Use this phrase to remember this rule: Cezar the gue gar drives a que car. (Cesar
the gay gar drives a k-car.)
5. Irregular verbs
 Seven common irregular verbs
Ir
Ver
Vaya
Vayamos
Vayas
(Vayáis)
Vaya
Vayan
Sea
Ser
Seamos
Vea
Veamos
Veas
(Veáis)
Vea
Vean
Saber
Sepa
Sepamos
Seas
(Seáis)
Sepas
(Sepáis)
Sea
Sean
Sepa
Sepan
Dar
Dé
Demos
Des
(Deis)
Dé
Den
Haber
Haya
Hayamos
Hayas
(Hayáis)
Haya
Hayan
Estar
Esté
Estemos
Estés
(Estéis)
Esté
Estén