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Spanish The Subjunctive
Spanish The Subjunctive
Present Subjunctive
-AR -ER/-IR
yo -e yo -a
tú -es tú -as
él/ella/Ud. -e él/ella/Ud. -a
nosotros -emos nosotros -amos
vosotros -éis vosotros -áis
ellos/ellas/Uds. -en ellos/ellas/Uds. -an
• The irregular present subjunctive verbs usually have the same irregularity as the present tense “yo”
forms.
• However, the following irregular present subjunctive verbs do not have the same irregularity as the
present tense “yo” forms:
Dar (to give, to hand )- dé, des, dé, demos, deis, den
Estar (to be )- esté, estés, esté, estemos, estéis, estén
Ir (to go)- vaya, vayas, vaya, vayamos, vayáis, vayan
Saber (to know, to know how )- sepa, sepas, sepa, sepamos, sepáis, sepan
Ser (to be )- sea, seas, sea, seamos, seáis, sean
• Stem-changing -AR and -ER verbs maintain the stem-change in the subjunctive.
• Stem-changing -IR verbs maintain the same stem-change with an additional change in the
nosotros and vosotros forms.
Dormir (to sleep )- duerma, duermas, duerma, durmamos, durmáis, duerman
Preferir (to prefer)- prefiera, prefieras, prefiera, prefiramos, prefiráis, prefieran
• When using one of these verbs or impersonal expressions in the main clause of the sentence, the
subjunctive must follow in the dependent clause following “que.” Remember this format:
S1 V1 que S2 V2
• Notice that after the impersonal expressions, the infinitive of the verb is used when no subject is
addressed, but the subjunctive is used when the expression is directed towards a specific subject.
o Es necesario estudiar para sacar buenas notas. (no specific subject addressed)
o Es necesario que ustedes estudien para sacar buenas notas. (specific subject)
• After the verbs of influence, the infinitive of the verb is used when no specific subject is addressed,
but the subjunctive is used when the verb is directed towards a specific subject.
• When using the expressions of doubt in the main clause, use the subjunctive in the dependent
clause.
• The expressions tal vez and quizá(s) mean “perhaps” so they normally require the subjunctive.
Notice that these expressions do not require the “que” construction that is normally used in the
subjunctive.
• However, when using the expressions of certainty in the main clause, use the indicative in the
dependent clause instead of the subjunctive.
• When using verbs or impersonal expressions of emotion in the main clause, use the subjunctive in
the dependent clause after “que.”
• When the verb gustar is used in the main clause, it must be in the singular form no matter what
the subject is. Other verbs that function similarly to gustar are alegrarle , darle pena ,
molestarle , and sorprenderle .
• An adjective clause modifies a noun in the main clause and is usually introduced by “que.” The
subjunctive is used in the adjective clause when referring to a person, place, or thing whose existence
is unknown or in question.
• The subjunctive is also used when emphatically describing something that does not exist according to
the speaker.
• On the other hand, when the adjective clause describes something that is known to exist, then do not
use the subjunctive, but the indicative.
• Use the personal a when the verb refers to a person that is known to exist and follow it with the
indicative in the dependent clause. But when the verb refers to a person whose existence is
unknown, do not use the personal a and follow it with the subjunctive in the dependent clause.
• Some times, you can use either the subjunctive or the indicative depending on how certain you are
about the issue.
con tal (de) que- provided that antes (de) que- before a menos que- unless
para que- so that sin que- without
• When using these adverbial conjunctions in the dependent clause, use the subjunctive since they
describe pending/hypothetical actions that may not occur.
o Voy a la biblioteca con tal de que mi esposo pueda cuidar a los niños.
aunque- although, even though, even if en cuanto- as soon as como- as, how, however
hasta que- until cuando- when mientras- while
después de que- after según- according to, as donde- where, wherever
tan pronto como- as soon as
• Use the subjunctive after these adverbial conjunctions when the main clause expresses a future action
that has not yet occurred.
• Use the indicative with these adverbial conjunctions when they describe something that has taken
place, is taking place, or usually takes place.
• Use the subjunctive with como, donde, según, and aunque when they refer to something
that is not regarded as fact. But when they refer to something definite, use the indicative.
To form the imperfect subjunctive, start with the ellos/ellas/Uds. form of the preterit, drop the -on ending,
and add the following endings:
• Use the imperfect subjunctive in the dependent clause when the verb in the main clause is in the past
tense and the verb in the dependent clause refers to a past action or state.
• Use the imperfect subjunctive after como si (as if, as though). In this case, the verb in the main
clause can be either present or past.
• Use the imperfect subjunctive in an if-clause since it describes something that is hypothetical.
Notice that the conditional tense is used in the main clause.
The present perfect subjunctive is formed by using the present subjunctive form of the verb haber + a past
participle.
yo haya
tú hayas -ado (-AR verbs)
él/ella/Ud. haya +
nosotros hayamos -ido (-ER/-IR verbs)
vosotros hayáis
ellos/ellas/Uds. hayan
• Use the present perfect subjunctive in the dependent clause when expressing feelings or emotions
about something that has already occurred.
Pluperfect Subjunctive
yo hubiera
tú hubieras -ado (-AR verbs)
él/ella/Ud. hubiera +
nosotros hubiéramos -ido (-ER/-IR verbs)
vosotros hubierais
ellos/ellas/Uds. hubieran
• Use the pluperfect subjunctive to correspond to the English words might have , would have , or
had + past participle in constructions which normally require the subjunctive.
Exercise B. Fill in the blank with the correct form of the subjunctive (may be in any form of the
subjunctive and not all sentences will require the subjunctive).
Exercise A
1. sepan
2. explique
3. salgan
4. es
5. tienen
6. lea
7. vayas
8. busque
9. pueda
10. olvide
11. duele
12. nos vistamos
13. estés
14. haga
15. te mejores
Exercise B
1. termine
2. nos divertiríamos, fuéramos
3. hagan
4. vuelve
5. lleguemos, comience
6. tenía
7. explicara
8. sirviera
9. conocía
10. podrían, lloviera
11. encontrara, reciclaría
12. quieras
13. vino
14. resuelvan
15. vea