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Present subjunctive

There are two distinct verbal modes, or moods, in Spanish: the subjunctive and the indicative. In simple, direct speech, one uses primarily the indicative, e.g. the present indicative, preterite indicative, imperfect indicative, etc. Some of these indicative tenses have their corresponding tenses in the subjunctive as well, such as the present subjunctive, imperfect subjunctive, present perfect subjunctive, etc.

Present Subjunctive — Overview

The present subjunctive forms are what what one uses to form direct commands. Many of the uses of the present subjunctive simply turn those direct commands into indirect commands. There is nothing inherently difficult about the use of the subjunctive as long as the following principles are observed. The vast majority of the instances in which the present subjunctive is used conform to the following three basic criteria:

1. A complex sentence. There are three basic types of sentences: a simple sentence, a compound sentence, and a complex sentence. The subjunctive usually appears in the subordinate clause of a complex sentence.

2. A change of subject. For the subjunctive to occur in the dependent, or subordinate, clause of a complex sentence there is almost always a change of subject from one clause to the next.

3. An appropriate verb or condition. The verb in the main clause of the complex sentence will express (a) will or obligation, (b) doubt, uncertainty or futurity, or (c) emotion.

Present subjunctive – Formation

Nearly all verbs in Spanish, including most irregular verbs, stem-changing verbs, and other verbs with spelling changes, form their subjunctive stem from the first person singular of the present indicative. To form the present subjunctive the -o of the first person singular of the present indicative is dropped, and the following subjunctive endings are added in its place:

-AR verbs

-ER verbs

-IR verbs

 

Several verbs — which happen to be quite commonly used, like ser, estar, haber, saber, and ir – are irregular in the present subjunctive. The following is a complete list of the truly irregular verbs in the present subjunctive:

Present subjunctive – Uses

The subjunctive is a mood, which means that it serves to express the attitude or impression of the speaker. Frequently, statements in the subjunctive indicate (1) will and obligation, (2) doubt, uncertainty, and futurity, and (3) emotion. 

Will, doubt, and emotion. Many introductory statements, expressions of doubt, emotion, or obligation, precede verbs in the subjunctive. The list of verbs and impersonal expressions usually followed by the subjunctive is quite long, and includes (but is not limited to) the following:

Will and obligation

Adjective clauses and the subjunctive

In all of the cases above the subjunctive occurs in a dependent clause, which in these cases happen to be noun clauses. An adjective clause can also follow an independent clause. If the antecedent (that to which the clause refers) is either negative or indefinite, the verb in the dependent clause will be in the subjunctive. For instance:

Adverbial clauses

As a part of speech, the adverb answers the questions how, when, or where. A dependent clause can also function as an adverb when it is introduced by an appropriate conjunction.

When certain conjunctions introduce a dependent clause the subjunctive always follows. By their very nature these conjunctions refer to something uncertain, contingent, or in the future. These conjunctions are a menos que, antes (de) que, con tal (de) que, en caso de que, para que, and sin que.

Certain other conjunctions may introduce the subjunctive as well, but only if they express doubt, uncertainty, or futurity. Some examples are aunque, cuando, en cuanto, tan pronto como, de modo que, de manera que, hasta que, después (de) que, etc.

Set expressions, commands

Certain expressions find the subjunctive in the main clause:

See also

Imperfect subjunctive
Compound verbs
Verbs