Subjunctive
The subjunctive is a “verbal mood” rather than a tense. It is an attitude that the speaker has toward a fact or action, in which the outcome is not certain. It represents hypothetical situations or contingency. Up until now we have been working with the Indicative, in which the verbs expressed events or stated things that are considered factual, definite, or part of a reality as expressed by the speaker.
Now with the Subjunctive that certainty isn’t there.
1. It is used to express:
Doubt I doubt that you are going to Spain this summer.
Desire I hope we can go.
Emotion I’m surprised you want to go abroad.
Hope I hope I can raise enough money to go to Spain.
Possibility It’s possible that the board will allow us to go to Spain.
Influence I advise you to save money just in case.
Nonexistence Is there anyone here who speaks Spanish?
Uncertainty I want to go to Spain this summer.
There are 4 conditions that call for the use of the subjunctive: volition, emotion, unreality, and doubt/denial.
2. Any sentence that expresses doubt, willingness, a request, a suggestion, a command, a judgment, or an emotion in the principal clause will require the subjunctive in the subordinate clause. The subordinate clause is often introduced by que.
Main clause (indicative) + que + dependent clause (subjunctive)
Les sugiero que se levanten temprano.
I suggest (indicative, factual, certainty) + que + se levanten (subjunctive, I can suggest that they get up early all I want, doesn’t mean that they’ll actually do it)
The conjugation of the subjunctive is EASY.
Present Subjunctive of regular verbs is formed by deleting the –o of the “yo” form of the PRESENT tense verb and adding the following endings:
-ar verbs
Hablar - to talk yo form = hablo
yo … e … hable
tú … es … hables
él, ella, Ud. … e … hable
nosotros … emos … hablemos
vosotros … éis … habléis
ellos, ellas, Uds. … en … hablen
-er and –ir verbs
comer - to eat, vivir- to live
yo form = como, yo form = vivo
yo … a … coma, viva
tú … as … comas, vivas
él, ella, Ud. … a … coma, viva
nosotros … amos … comamos, vivamos
vosotros … áis … comáis, viváis
ellos, ellas, Uds. … an … coman, vivan
