Present Subjunctive | hable | Emotions today and tomorrow about something being done today or tomorrow. |
Imperfect Subjunctive | hablara/hablase | Emotions yesterday about something done before yesterday; Conditional sentences referring to something unreal today or tomorrow. |
Present Perfect Subjunctive | haya hablado | Emotions today and tomorrow about something done yesterday. |
Pluperfect Subjunctive | hubiera/hubiese hablado | Conditional sentences referring to something unreal yesterday. |
Note that emotion is expressed by one person, while action is being done by another:
Ella teme que el gobierno no haga nada. – two subjects, thus subjunctive
Ella teme no hacer nada. – one subject: no subjunctive.
Subject 1 + verb of influence (ind) + que + Subject 2 + action to be done (subj) |
(Yo) quiero que (Uds) vengan mañana. |
As opposed to: (Yo) quiero venir mañana. |
See conjugation of regular, irregular and stem-changing verbs.
Quiero que juegen esta tarde. – I want now, thus present subjunctive.
Quería que jugaran por la tarde. – I wanted, thus past subjunctive.
This is like correspondence of tenses in English – after a past tense (either Preterit or Imperfect) in an independent clause, one should use a imperfect (past) subjunctive.
Also when discussing situations in the present or future that are contrary to the fact or very unlikely (2nd type of conditional sentences).
Si lloviera, no saldría.
See conjugation of regular, irregular and stem-changing verbs.
Le sorprendo que ella me haya mandado las tarjetas postales.
To form the present perfect subjunctive, use:
haya hayas haya | hayamos hayáis hayan | + past participle |
For formation of past participle see conjugation of regular, irregular and stem-changing verbs.
Si hubiera ido a la fiesta, habría visto a Isabel.
To form the pluperfect subjunctive, use:
hubiera hubieras hubiera | hubiéramos hubierais hubieran | + past participle |
For formation of past participle see conjugation of regular, irregular and stem-changing verbs.
Future Subjunctive | Future Perfect Subjunctive |
hablare hablares hablare habláremos hablareis hablaren | hubiere hablado hubieres hablado hubiere hablado hubiéremos hablado hubiereis hablado hubieren hablado |
– ¡No comas eso! ¡No coma Ud. eso! | ¡No comamos eso! ¡No comáis eso! ¡No coman Uds. eso! |
Positive commands are formed as follows:
– 3rd person singular of present indicative 3rd person singular of present subjunctive | 1st person plural of present subjunctive Infinitive with -r replaced by -d* 3rd person plural of present subjunctive |
* – Vosotros/as forms are used only in Spain. If a reflexive pronouns is added -d is dropped (¡Levantaos!). It is common to use infinitive itself as a command in colloquial speech.
– ¡Come! ¡Coma! | ¡Comamos! ¡Comed! ¡Coman! |
Irregular tú commands:
decir hacer ir(se) poner salir ser tener venir | ¡Di la verdad! ¡Hazlo! ¡Vete de aquí! ¡Pon tu chaqueta en al armario! ¡Sal inmediamente! ¡Sé bueno! ¡Ten cuidado! ¡Ven aquí! | ¡No digas nada! ¡No hagas eso! ¡No te vayas! ¡No pongas el vaso allí! ¡No salgas! ¡No seas malo! ¡No tengas miedo! ¡No vengas todavía! |
Check placement of pronouns with commands.
A Summary of Uses of Subjunctive
W | Wishes | Querían que los mirara (two subjects: ellos querían, él mirar). |
E | Emotions | Temen que les digas (two subjects: ellos temen, tú decir). |
I | Impersonal Expressions | Es importante que recordemos. |
R | Request Requirement | Pidieron que les trajera (two subjects: ellos pidieron, yo traer). No permitían que se escribiera en español. |
D | Doubt | No creo que llueva mañana. |
O | Ojalá | Ojalá que les interese el tema. |
Influence
With the following verbs to express influence or desire by one person upon another:
aconsejar que advertir que anhelar que desear que esperar que insistir en que permitir que preferir que prohibir que querer que recomendar que necesitar que ojalá que me/te/… aconsejar que me/te/… exigir que me/te/… pedir que me/te/… proponer que me/te/… recomendar que me/te/… rogar que me/te/… sugerir que me/te/… suplicar que | to advise to warn, advise to desire, long for to wish to hope to insist on to permit, allow to prefer to prohibit to want to recommend to need if only to advise to demand to ask, request to propose to recommend to beg to suggest to implore |
Emotion
To express emotion by one person upon another:
me te le nos les | molesta que encanta que gusta que interesa que duele que preocupa que sorprende que alegra que da asco que da coraje que da tristeza que da gusto que da miedo que da pena que da vergu:enza que | to be to be delighted to be pleased to be interested to be sorry, hurt to be worried to be surprised to be glad to be sick (it sickens me) to be angered to be sad to be glad to be afraid to be sorry, hurt to be ashamed |
With the following phrases with estar and tener:
estar triste de que estar enojado de que estar feliz de que estar contento de que estar frustrado de que tener miedo de que tener la culpa de que | to be sad that to be angry that to be happy that to be content, satisfied that to be frustrated that to be afraid that to be to blame that |
Reflexives
With the following reflexive verbs:
Sorprender(se) de que Preocupar(se) de que Alegrar(se) de que Enojar(se) de que Reír(se) de que | to be surprised to be worried to be glad to be angry to laugh at |
Although these seem to be identical to those in parts A and B, they are almost. Note conjugation and de
Me sorprendo de que no puedan abrir la puerta. – I am surprised that they cannot open the door. BUT!!!
Me sorprenda que no puedan abrir la puerta. – It surprises me that they cannot open the door.
Impersonals
With the following expressions (although impersonal these also express desire, advice, influence):
(no) es aconsejable que (no) es buena/mala idea que (no) es bueno/malo que (no) es importante que (no) es mejor que (no) es necesario que (no) es preciso que (no) es preferible que | it’s (not) advisable it’s (not) a good/bad idea it’s (not) good/bad it’s (not) important it’s (not) better it’s (not) necessary it’s (not) necessary it’s (not) preferable |
Doubt
Tal vez Quizá Probablemente Posiblemente Acaso No + creer No + pensar No + decir No + opinar No + suponer | may be perhaps probably possibly by chance not believe not think not say not consider, think not suppose |
Also in questions: ¿Crees que llueva?
The first 4 expressions can be used with indicative as well to indicate less doubt.
It is rather confusing to use subjunctive with words like creer, pensar, dudar, estar seguro/a (de), negar. The rule is: when doubt or denial is being expressed then subjunctive is used:
No creo que sean estudiantes. BUT! Creo que son estudiantes.
In the first case, the person is not sure, and thus even if they are really students, subjunctive should be used. In the second case, the person is sure, and thus even if they are not students, indicative should be used.
Unknown
To describe the unknown or non-existent:
Buscamos una persona que nos enseñe a reciclar. | We are looking for someone who can teach us recycle. (there may or may not exist such a preson) |
Buscamos a la persona que nos enseña a reciclar. | We are looking for the person who teaches recycling. (We know this person exists) |
No encuentro nada que me guste. | I can’t find anything that I like. |
Time
With uncertain or future time:
Cuando Mientras En cuanto Antes (de) que Hasta que Despues (de) que | when while as soon as before until after |
Conditions
A menos que Para que Sin que Con tal (de) que A fin de que En caso (de) que | unless in order to (so that) without provided that so that in case of |
..quiera
Quienquiera que Cuandoquiera que Dondequeira que Comoquiera que Cualquiera que | whoever whenever wherever however whatever |
Although
With aunque/although to express possibility of a future event: Aunque tenga dinero, no iré. – Although I have money, I (probably) will not go. BUT!!! In a case of reality, use indicative: Aunque tengo dinero, no voy. – Although I have money, I am not going.
Others
Por … que | ? |
Por mucho que se alegre, no me importa.
Por mucho que Ud. explique, no le va a hacer caso.
Por atrevidos que sean no van a ganar la batalla.
Hello
With the subjunctive form of verbs on this page, I noticed that the English equivalent of these verbs is expressed in the past tense.
Can you explain how this works, why in Spanish “Me sorprendo de” is equivalent of the past tense in English i.e I am surprised? Whilst the “me sorprenda que” – it surprises me, is equivalent of the present tense in English?
Examples:
Me sorprendo de que no puedan abrir la puerta. – I am surprised that they cannot open the door. BUT!!!
Me sorprenda que no puedan abrir la puerta. – It surprises me that they cannot open the door.