The Present Subjunctive
The Subjunctive Up to now you have been using verbs in the indicative mood (present tense), which is used to talk about facts or actual events. (yo)hablo, (tú) comes, (ud.) vive
The Subjunctive Aprendo francés para mi viaje. I learn French for my trip. Comes paella en España. You eat paella en Spain
The Subjunctive Spanish has another way of using verbs called the subjunctive mood. We use it to say what one person does or doesn’t want, tell, suggest, or recommend someone else to do.
The Subjunctive A sentence that includes the subjunctive form has two parts connected by the word que. For example:
The Subjunctive I want you to breathe slowly. Quiero que tú respires lentamente. (respirar, a-e) I want you to breathe slowly.
The Subjunctive Sugiero que bebas agua antes de correr. (beber, e-a) I suggest that you drink water before running.
The Subjunctive El entrenador exige que los atletas estiren (estirar, a-e) los músculos. The trainer demands that the athletes stretch their muscles.
The Subjunctive You can also suggest more general or impersonal ideas using expressions such as es necesario…es bueno…and es importante…, followed by que and a form of the present subjunctive.
The Subjunctive Es necesario que hagas (hacer) ejercicio. It’s necessary that you do exercise. Es importante que los jóvenes coman (comer) bien. It’s important that the young people eat well.
2 Clauses Ella sugiere que yo aprenda francés Independent clause (stands on its own) Subject > Verb Separated by the word “que” Dependent clause (can’t stand on its own) Begins with the word “que.” Subjunctive Verb Indicative Verb
The Subjunctive The first subject uses the present indicative verb (recommendation, suggestion, prohibition, and so on) + que and the second subject uses the present subjunctive verb (what should happen).
The Subjunctive Quiero que uds. estudien. I want for you all to study. Verbs that are often followed by que + subjunctive: Decir (to tell) Insistir en (to insist) Necesitar (to need) Permitir (to permit) Preferir (e > ie) (to prefer) Quiero que uds. estudien. I want for you all to study. Prohibir (to prohibit) Querer (e > ie) (to want) Recomendar (e > ie) (to recommend) Sugerir (e > ie) (to suggest)
The Subjunctive For -ar verbs: (ex; hable) hable, hables, hable, hablemos, habléis, hablen For -er/-ir verbs: (ex; beba) beba, bebas, beba, bebamos, bebáis, beban
SALTAR – to jump salte saltes saltemos saltéis salten
comer – to eat coma comas comamos comáis coman
CONOCER – to know or meet someone conozca conozcas conozcamos conozcáis conozcan
Irregular Subjunctive Verbs As in negative commands, irregular verbs that add a “g” to the stem in the present-tense yo form also have a “g” in the present subjunctive. Hacer – haga Salir – salga Poner – ponga Traer - traiga Tener – tenga Venir - venga
DECIR – to say/tell Diga Digas Digamos Digáis Digan
Irregular Subjunctive Verbs Caerse - (se) caiga Ser – sea Saber – sepa Ir - vaya Haber – haya Dar – dé Ver – vea
Irregular Subjunctive Verbs hacer hag-o haga tener teng-o tenga
Irregular Subjunctive Verbs Also verbs ending in –car, -gar, and –zar have a spell change in order to maintain the original sound. buscar busco busque pagar pago pague cruzar cruzo cruce
hablo dices hacemos ponen salgo tenemos traen bebe vives Let’s Practice the Subjunctive! Change the following verbs into the subjunctive: hablo dices hacemos ponen salgo tenemos traen bebe vives
Let’s Practice the Subjunctive Let’s Practice the Subjunctive! Change the following verbs into the subjunctive: Hablo - hable Dices - digas Hacemos - hagamos Ponen - pongan Salgo - salga Tenemos - tengamos Traen - traigan Bebe - beba Vives - vivas