1. Es dudoso que Ramón reciba una buena nota en el examen. 2. No es cierto que ellos vayan a Mexico. 3. Es malo que comas mucho helado. 4. Es importante que ellos estudien para la prueba. 5. Es triste que tú estés enfermo. 6. Es terrible que ella nunca saque la basura. Prequiz: can you translate these?

Each of the previous sentences used a new verb MOOD called the SUBJUNCTIVE. A verb TENSE refers to WHEN an action takes place (past, present, future) A MOOD reflects how the speaker feels about the action.

You already know two moods in the Spanish language….you just didn’t realize it! These are The INDICATIVE MOOD and the IMPERATIVE MOOD The INDICATIVE MOOD is what you have been using forever in Spanish class! It expresses factual information, certainty and objectivity. (“Ud. va al Peru en diciembre”) The IMPERATIVE MOOD is nothing more than a “MANDATO, or a command. (Vaya al Peru en diciembre!)

There is a THIRD mood in Spanish… the SUBJUNCTIVE MOOD This is what we will be exploring over this next semester!!!

So when do you use this subjunctive thing?

You use the subjunctive when there is a change of subject AND the first part of the sentence is an impersonal expression that does NOT convey certainty, or another WEIRDO expression. These two parts are separated by the word QUE. ES NECESARIO 1 QUELUPE ESTUDIE MUCHO. 2 This second part is in the subjunctive. The subject in the first part is “IT”

1. Es dudoso que Ramón reciba una buena nota en el examen. 2. No es cierto que ellos vayan a Mexico. 3. Es malo que comas mucho helado. 4. Es importante que ellos estudien para la prueba. 5. Es triste que tú estés enfermo. 6. Es terrible que ella nunca saque la basura. Let’s go back to these sentences…

Each sentence was introduced with what is called an IMPERSONAL EXPRESSION. Here are some impersonal expressions: Es cierto que… Es seguro que… Es verdad que… Es bueno que… Es posible que… Es importante que… Es necesario que… There are many more…

SOME IMPERSONAL EXPRESSIONS require the use of the subjunctive mood ! Es importante que Uds. hagan la tarea. Es terrible que Marta esté enferma. ¿Es possible que tú vayas conmigo? Es fantástico que no haya clases mañana. Es recomendable que Uds. estudien para el examen.

BUT Some IMPERSONAL EXPRESSIONS convey CERTAINTY : Es cierto (it’s true that…) Es claro (it’s clear that…) Es obvio (it’s obvious that…) Es seguro (it’s sure that…) Es verdad (it’s true that…) If you use one of these expression of certainty you DO NOT use the subjunctive because THERE IS NO DOUBT …so there is nothing new here. Just use the indicative! “Es obvio que Sr. B. es un gran profesor.” “Es cierto que sus estudiantes son inteligentes.”

Some IMPERSONAL EXPRESSIONS convey DOUBT or UNCERTAINTY : No es cierto que… (it’s NOT true that…) No es claro que… (it’s NOT clear that…) No es obvio que… (it’s NOT obvious that…) No es seguro que… (it’s NOT sure that…) No es verdad que… (it’s NOT true that…) If you use one of these expressions of DOUBT or UNCERTAINTY You MUST use the subjunctive!!!! “No es cierto que El Sr. Gómes sea un gran profesor” “No es verdad que sus estudiantes estudien mucho.”

Some expressions convey DOUBT or UNCERTAINTY when ONLY USED NEGATIVELY!!!! No pienso que… (I don’t think that…) No creo que… (I don’t believe that… No estoy seguro que… (I’m not sure that…) If you use one of these negative expressions of DOUBT or UNCERTAINTY You MUST use the subjunctive!!!! “No pienso que vayamos a la fiesta.” (DOUBT!) “No estoy seguro que tengamos tarea.” (DOUBT!)

But if you use the SAME VERBS in the AFFIRMATIVE, THERE IS NO DOUBT! When there is NO DOUBT there is NO SUBJUNCTIVE! Pienso que… (I think that…) Creo que… (I believe that… Estoy seguro que… (I’m not sure that…) If you use one of these expressions of CERTAINTY You MUST use the indicative!! “Pienso que vamos a la fiesta.” ( NO DOUBT!) “Estoy seguro que tenemos tarea.” (NO DOUBT!)

If there is NO CHANGE OF SUBJECT then there is NO subjunctive…the second verb is in the INFINTIVE!! Es necesario estudiar mucho. Es importante cepillarse los dientes cada día. Es posible ir al cine esta noche. Es difícil hablar español. “It” is the only subject of these sentences. There is no “QUE” in these sentences because there are not two separate clauses!!!

If there IS a CHANGE OF SUBJECT then you HAVE to use the subjunctive! Es necesario que tú estudies mucho. Es importante que tú te cepilles los dientes cada día. Es posible que ellos vayan al cine esta noche. Es bueno que Uds. hablen español. “It” is NOT the only subject of these sentences. There is “QUE” in these sentences because there are two separate clauses!!!

But what’s the difference between the INDICATIVE MOOD and the SUBJUNCTIVE MOOD?

“ Sr. Indicativo” The INDICATIVE MOOD is: Businesslike “Normal” Based in reality Certain

“ Sr. Subjuntivo” The SUBJUNCTIVE MOOD is like a hippie!: --In a different dimension --Deals with hypothetical situations --Always philosophizing about the existence of something --Deals in “unrealities” and uncertainty

“ Sr. Indicativo” If you are CERTAIN or SURE about something, The INDICATIVE MOOD is used.

“ Sr. Subjuntivo” When we don’t specify or are not sure if a certain person, place, thing or situation exists The SUBJUNCTIVE MOOD is used.

Exemplo: La Camiseta “Avatar”

Let’s look at the following sentences: “ Busco una camiseta que lleva una imagen de la película “Avatar.” (This is the INDICATIVE MOOD! I’ve been to the t-shirt store, I have seen the shirt, I KNOW for CERTAIN that they have one.)

“ Busco una camiseta que lleve una imagen de la película “Avatar.” (This is the SUBJUNCTIVE MOOD! I am not certain that such a t-shirt exists, as I have never seen one. But I’m looking to see if one exists.

Más ejemplos del subjuntivo:

“Busco una persona que sea responsable.” (I don’t have anyone in mind….does such a person exist?)

“Cualquier cosa que compres, les va a gustar.” (There is uncertainty….you haven’t decided what to buy for them yet, but they will like whatever it is you end up choosing.)

Pretend you’re on a road trip with your family. You’ve been in the car for HOURS and REALLY have to go to the bathroom. Your dad says, “!Pararemos donde podamos!” (There is uncertainty….we’ll stop where we can but we’re not sure yet exactly when or where that will be. YIKES!)

How to form the subjunctive: You may have noticed that the subjunctive is like the commands that you have already learned. “Go to Yo, drop the “o”, add opuesto…there you go!” Yo comaescribanade Tú comasescribasnades El,ella comaescribanade Nosotros comamosescribamosnademos Vosotros comáisescribáisnadéis Ellos comanescribannaden Ellas, Uds.

There are 6 irregular verbs in the subjunctive. These are on page 135 of your textbook. If you can memorize the YO form of the subjunctive the rest is easy. You can use the acronym “DISHES” to help you remember them! VERBO “YO “ FORM Dardé Irvaya Sabersepa Haberhaya Estaresté Sersea

ONE FINAL THING… In addition to the impersonal expressions Spanish has this cool word you can use. ojalá Ojalá comes to Spanish from an arabic word meaning “may god grant that.” It is translated I HOPE/LET’S HOPE

OJALÁ is used like an impersonal expression: Ojalá que Uds. hagan la tarea. Ojalá que Marta vaya a la fiesta. Ojalá que veamos esta película. You can also say “I/Let’s hope so” and “I/Let’s hope not.” Ojalá que sí. Ojalá que no.