SPANISH 204

The Present Subjunctive

1. Introduction to the Present Subjunctive

A. One way to ask someone to do something, or to express a request or desire that another person do
something, is to use the construction:

querer (present tense) + que + present subjunctive

Quiero que me hagas un favor.

Mi madre quiere que mi hermano le diga la verdad.
Mis amigos quieren que vayamos al cine este fin de semana.

B. The present subjunctive is formed by following these steps:

1. Take the yo form of the present tense:

hablar >> yo hablo

2. Remove the -o ending of the yo form:

hablo >> habl-

3. Add the opposite vowel ending:

ar verbs will have an e in the present subjunctive endings:

hablar >> yo hablo >> habl- >> hable

-er and ir verbs will have an a in the present subjunctive endings:

comer >> yo como >> com- >> coma

vivir >> yo vivo >> viv- >> viva

-ar -er -ir

hablar >> hablo comer >> como vivir >> vivo
hable coma viva
hables comas vivas
hable coma viva
hablemos comamos vivamos
hablis comis vivis
hablen coman vivan
C. There are only six irregular verbs in the present subjunctive:

Dar d, des, d, demos, deis, den

Ir vaya, vayas, vaya, vayamos, vayis, vayan
Saber sepa, sepas, sepa, sepamos, sepis, sepan
Haber haya, hayas, haya*, hayamos, hayis, hayan
Estar est, ests, est, estemos, estis, estn
Ser sea, seas, sea, seamos, seis, sean
*The present subjunctive of hay is haya.

>>> Note that the first letter of each verb spells out the acronym DISHES.

D. The present subjunctive of verbs that end in car, -gar, or zar requires an additional spelling
change:

Present Tense Spelling

INFINITIVE Present Subjunctive
yo form change

buscar busco c > qu busque, busques, ...

pagar pago g > gu pague, pagues, ...
empezar almuerzo z>c empiece, empieces, ...
2. Present Subjunctive: Volition

In complex sentences with the subjunctive, the subject of the first clause and that of the second clause
are always different. These sentences communicate a wish on the part of one person for another
person to do something.

These structures can be illustrated by the following formula:

Subject 1 + verb/expression of volition (present indicative) + que + Subject 2 + present subjunctive

Jaime prefiere que nosotros vayamos con l al cine.

Los mdicos aconsejan que (nosotros) comamos fruta todos los das.
Es importante que los estudiantes hagan la tarea de Espaol.

>>> Note that impersonal expressions that begin with Es (Es importante que, etc ...) have the implied
subject it.

Some verbs and expression of volition that trigger the subjunctive:

aconsejar que necesitar que

decir que pedir que
desear que preferir que
es importante que prohibir que
es necesario que querer que
es urgente que recomendar que
insistir que sugerir que

3. Present Subjunctive: Emotion

The subjunctive is also used in Spanish after verbs and expressions of emotion in which speakers
express their feelings about a subject.

Some verbs and expressions of emotion that trigger the subjunctive:

alegrarse de que gustar que

es absurdo que ojal (que)
es bueno que preocupar que
es extrao que sentir que
es increble que sorprender que
es malo que tener miedo de que
es una lstima que
esperar que
4. Present Subjunctive: Doubt, Denial, and Uncertainty

The subjunctive in Spanish is used after expressions in which speakers deny something, indicate they
are uncertain about something, or dont believe that something is true.

This category of verbs and expressions is also unique in that there will generally be a verb or
expressions with opposite meaning that DOES NOT take the subjunctive. In other words, when
expressing belief, affirmation, or certainty, the subjunctive is not used, but rather the indicative.

The following charts show common verbs and expressions of doubt, denial, and uncertainty with their
opposites:

DOUBT, DENIAL, UNCERTAINTY

no creer que
dudar que
negar que
no es cierto que
no es verdad que
+ subjunctive
no estar seguro de que
(no) es posible que
(no) es probable que

BELIEF, AFFIRMATION, CERTAINTY

creer que
no dudar que
afirmar que
es cierto que
+ indicative
es verdad que
estar seguro de que

No creo que sea una pieza original. (I am not sure about it >> subjunctive)
Estoy seguro de que es una pieza original. (I am sure about it >> indicative)