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All you ever wanted to know about
The Subjunctive
The Basics: certain verbs + que + change of subject.
The main verb (the indicative verb) expresses a feeling, doubt, or opinion about the second verb,
(the subjunctive) verb.
Dudar
Negar
No creer
No pensar
desear
esperar
¿creer?
¿pensar?
gozar de
querer
sentir
temer/tener miedo de
alegrarse de
estar alegre, contento, feliz de
(le) fastidiar
(le) irritar
(le) fascinar
(le) sorprender de
(le) frustar
(le) gustar
(le) encantar
(le) molestar
(le) preocupar
aconsejar
decir
dejar
exigir
impedir
insistir en
mandar
necesitar
*ojalá (doesn't need subject change)
pedir
permitir
preferir
prohibir
recomendar
rogar
suplicar
Ser dudoso
Ser necesario
Ser lástima/pena
Ser mejor
Más vale
Ser menester
Ser imposible
Ser posible
Ser probable
Importar
Ser
Ser
Ser
Ser
Ser
No
No
No
No
No
importante
preciso
bueno/malo
triste/alegre
útil/inútil
ser evidente
ser cierto
ser obvio
estar seguro
ser verdad
¡OJO! Be careful NOT to use the subjunctive after these words because there is no doubt about the occurrence of the
dependent verb.
Creer
Ser cierto
Ser obvio
Ser evidente
No haber duda
Pensar
Ser verdad
Estar seguro
No ser dudoso
Parecer
No negar
Special cases: LOS FANTASMAS You do not need a subject change.
1. If you are not sure something or someone exists, you also use the subjunctive. Watch for
these words as signs you could need the subjunctive in the dependent clause: buscar, necesitar,
alguien, algo, nada, nadie.
2. When you use dondequiera, quienquiera, comoquiera, cualquiera, or cuandoquiera, you are
expressing an opinion. Therefore, the subjunctive is almost always used after these indefinite
expressions in the future. Be sure to still add “que” before the dependent clause.
3. por + adj. or adv. + que (however, no matter how) always needs subjunctive after it.
4. You can use the subjunctive after que (whichever), como (however), donde (wherever)
anytime you are expressing “whichever”. For example, “Escoge la torta que quieras” (“Choose
whichever cake you like like” – I don’t know your tastes.)
*In all the special cases above, the sequence of tenses rules apply.
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Adverbial clauses:
Part I: ALWAYS use the subjunctive after these clauses. You do not need a subject change.
ANY VERB in ANY TENSE + adverbial clause + ANY SUBJECT in SUBJUNCTIVE
E
S
C
A
P
A
A
en caso de que (in case of)
sin que (without)
con tal de que (provided that)
a menos que (unless)
para que (so that)
antes de que (before)
a fines de que (so that)
Part II: Other adverbial clauses do not always need the subjunctive. You do not need a subject
change.
ANY VERB IN FUTURE OR COMMAND + adverbial clause + ANY SUBJECT in SUBJUNCTIVE
(or implied future)
L
A
T
C
H
E
D
D
D
luego que (as soon as)
así que (as soon as)
tan pronto como (as soon as)
cuando (when)
hasta que (until)
en cuanto (as soon as)
después de que (after)
de modo que (so that)
de manera que (so that)
Part III: These adverbial clauses use subjunctive OR indicative. It depends on how sure or
unsure or how certain or uncertain the speaker feels. You do not need a subject change.
ANY VERB in PRESENT or FUTURE + adverbial clause + ANY SUBJECT in SUBJUNCTIVE or INDICATIVE
quizás / quizá (perhaps)
tal vez (perhaps)
aunque (even though)
mientras (while)

Contrary to Fact sentences
1. ANY VERB in CONDITIONAL + SI (if) + IMPERFECT SUBJUNCTIVE/PLUPERFECT SUBJUNCTIVE
(¡OJO! Any verb in any other tense but conditional + SI (if) + INDICATIVE VERB)
You do not need a subject change.
2. ANY VERB in ANY TENSE + COMO SI (as if) + IMPERFECT SUBJUNCTIVE/PLUPERFECT SUBJUNCTIVE
These sentences are often written with the subordinate clause beginning the sentence.
You do not need a subject change.
3. The –ra forms of the imperfect subjunctive of querer, poder, and deber are often used instead of the
conditional of these verbs to express a polite request or statement.
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Sequence of tenses
VERB IN MAIN CLAUSE___________________VERB IN DEPENDENT CLAUSE
Present Indicative
Present Subjunctive
Present Perfect
+
-orFuture
Present Perfect Subjunctive
Command
___________________________________________________________
Preterite
Imperfect Subjunctive
Imperfect
+
-orPluperfect
Pluperfect Subjunctive
Conditional
____________________________________________________________
FORMATION OF THE SUBJUNCTIVE
Present:
Irregulars:
1. Take yo form of verb;
2. drop "o";
3. add opposite endings.
gar, car, zar;
ger, gir, guir, guar;
ir boot verbs nosotros and vosotros;
iar, uar need accents;
dé, esté, vaya, sea, sepa, haya.
Present perfect:
(have verbed)
haya
hayas
haya
hayamos
hayáis
hayan
Imperfect:
1. Take ellos preterite of verb;
2. drop -on;
3. add -ra -ramos (add accent on preceding vowel)
-ras -rais
-ra -ran
alternate endings:
-se -semos (add accent on preceding vowel)
-ses -seis
-se -sen
Pluperfect:
(had verbed)
hubiera
hubieras
hubiera
+
hubiéramos
hubierais
hubieran
-ado, -ido
+
-ado, ido
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