Today, we're going to tackle the enigmatic subjunctive mood - specifically, the present subjunctive. The subjunctive is a mood, a way of packaging information about the speaker's viewpoint or attitude towards the verb's action. Until now, we've been dealing with the indicative mood, which conveys information and facts the speaker perceives as true. In contrast, the subjunctive expresses the speaker’s doubts, emotions, or influences about the verb's action.
Sound challenging? Well, don't fret! Spanish provides some clear signs for using it. Essentially, it only pops up in specific sentence positions, such as in dependent clauses following a statement of doubt, influence, or emotion and the word que. Here are some examples. Try to spot how these verbs are conjugated differently compared to the present indicative.
* Note: English often drops that in these types of sentences, but Spanish always keeps the corresponding que.
So, as you can see, the subjunctive typically appears after que and after a statement of doubt, influence, or emotion in the first clause of the sentence.
Now, let's tackle its conjugation. Here's an easy method: Start with the yo form of the present indicative (like yo hablo, yo hago, yo vivo), and then remove the -O.
Next, we attach the "opposite ending" - a simple yet memorable trick. Check out the endings for regular verbs below:
Now, let's see some verbs conjugated in the present subjunctive:
See the logic behind starting with the yo form of the present indicative? Correct! It helps capture most of the irregular verbs, reducing the complexity of this stage. That's precisely why hacer is included in our examples.
Let's examine some examples of how to utilize the present subjunctive in real-life scenarios:
To summarize:
That wasn’t so daunting, was it? Now, you're primed and ready to go out there and practice!
But wait! One more thing before you go. Have you heard of the WEIRDO acronym? If not, you're in for a helpful treat! This quirky little mnemonic can be used to help you remember when to use the subjunctive:
Let's explore each of these categories in more detail!
The subjunctive is used to express desires or wishes. These often start with verbs like esperar (to hope) or querer (to want).
When you express emotions or feelings about a situation, the subjunctive is used. These sentences might begin with phrases like 'Me alegro de que' (I'm glad that) or 'Es triste que' (It's sad that).
These are statements that start with 'es' followed by an adjective, like 'Es importante que' (It's important that) or 'Es posible que' (It's possible that).
The subjunctive is used when giving advice or making requests, using verbs such as sugerir (to suggest) or recomendar (to recommend).
Expressions of uncertainty, denial, or negation require the subjunctive. They often start with phrases like 'No creo que' (I don't think that) or 'Dudo que' (I doubt that).
The word 'ojalá' is derived from Arabic and it's used to express hope or wish for something to happen. It's always followed by the subjunctive.
So, there you have it! Now you have a handy acronym to help you remember when to use the subjunctive. Go forth and conquer, VerbMasters!
The only way to master these verbs is through targeted practice. Fortunately for you, VerbMaster’s intelligent tutoring system makes conjugation practice a breeze!
In this session, you’ll practice conjugating hablar, comer, and vivir in the present subjunctive. So what are you waiting for? Get to studying, you’re on your way to becoming a VerbMaster!
Don't just read the lesson, practice conjugating in the app!
Download VerbMaster now for iOS or Android!
