This is one of the most difficult subjects to the foreign student, unlike to the Spanish natives. Do not learn subjunctive uses by heart. It is more desirable learning the verbal mood step by step and always according to your communicative needs.
1 Wish
- A strong wish is frequently indicated by ojalá + subjunctive. The tense used depends on the speaker point of view, and if he or she considers this wish more or less likely.
| Referring to | |
| Present / Future | Past |
| Fulfilled statement | |
| Present (sub.) | Perfect (sub.) |
| Unfulfilled statement | |
| Imperfect (sub.) | Pluperfect (sub.) |
Ojalá haga buen tiempo. (Fulfilled statement, future)
Ojalá mi marido grabe la película en vídeo. (Fulfilled statement, present)
Ojalá hayamos aprobado. (= We just did a test and we will know the marks within a week.) (Fulfilled statement, past)
Ojalá no se acabaran las vacaciones. (Unfulfilled statement, future)
Ojalá te hubiera avisado antes, habríamos podido hacer algo. (Unfulfilled statement, past)
In popular Spanish que or y may follow ojalá.
Ojalá que no se acabaran las vacaciones.
- Que + present subjunctive indicates good or bad wishes.
¡Que tengas buen viaje!
¡Que sueñes con los angelitos! (A un niño que se va a dormir)
¡Que cumplas muchos más! (A alguien que cumple años)
¡Que te vayan bien los exámenes!
¡Que tengas suerte!
¡Que te parta un rayo!
- Así + subjunctive indicates a bad wish. The next tenses are used in this pattern:
| Referring to | ||
| Present | Future | Past |
| Present (sub.) | Present (sub.) | Pluperfect (sub.) |
¡Así se te atragante! (Present)
¡Así te parta un rayo! (Future)
¡Así te hubiera atropellado un tranvía! (Past)
- In some fixed expressions the subjunctive appears.
¡Maldito seas! ¡Bendito seas! ¡Dios esté con vosotros!
¡Viva la revolución! ¡Muera el dictador!
¡Bienvenido seas! ¡Descanse en paz!
- Quien with imperfect subjunctive indicates a present or future wish. With the pluperfect subjunctive, this wish refers to the past.
¡Quién pudiera llorar con tus ojos!
2 Sometimes, the verb of the main clause determines the mood of the subordinate verb. This is the case of these introductory verbs.
- Some verbs always demand subjunctive. This is the case of the verbs expressing will (anhelar, animar, ansiar, apetecer, buscar, conformarse con, conseguir, decidir, desear, elegir, esperar, intentar, lograr, procurar, querer, tolerar), need (convenir, hacer falta, importar, necesitar, ser innecesario, ser necesario), mandate (decretar, encargar, mandar, ordenar), prohibition or permission (aprobar, dejar, implorar, invitar, oponerse a algo, pedir, permitir, prohibir, proponer, rogar, solicitar, suplicar), advice (aconsejar, recomendar, sugerir), feeling or preference (aburrir, alegrar, apenar, celebrar, disgustar, divertir, doler, encantar, entusiasmar, esperar, estar contento de, estar harto de, extrañar, fastidiar, gustar, importar, interesar, lamentar, molestar, proferir, sentar bien / mal, sentir, ser una pena, sorprender, temer, tener esperanza en, tener miedo de), appreciations or value judgements (bastar, comprender, considerar un robo, estar bien, estar mal, merecer, parecer adecuado, parecer conveniente, parecer justo, parecer una locura, ser lógico, ser magnífico, ser normal, ser una lástima, ser una pena, ser una tontería) and possibility (estar difícil, haber posibilidades, ser imposible, ser improbable, ser posible, ser probable, tener la oportunidad).
(No) quiero que vengas.
(No) necesito que me des consejos.
(No) era necesario que todos le ayudásemos.
(No) convenía que le hicieras caso.
El tiempo concreto de cada verbo subordinado depende de a qué momento se refiera.
| Referring to | |
| Present / Future | Past |
| Present (sub.) | Imperfect (sub.) |
- The verbs of physical or mental perception in affirmative clauses use indicative; in negative clauses they use indicative or subjunctive. In negative clauses, the indicative points to the commitment of the speaker with the truth of the subordinate clause, while with the subjunctive there is not commitment. Among these verbs are: averiguar, comprobar, criticar, darse cuenta de, entender, escuchar, fijarse en, garantizar, informar de, mirar, notar, oír, percibir, prever, recordar, saber, sentir, soñar, suponer, ver, verificar.
| Tense correspondence | |
| Indicative | Subjunctive |
| Present / Future | Present |
| Creo que viene. | No creo que venga. |
| Creo que vendrá. | |
| Perfect or Future perfect |
Perfect |
| Creo que ha venido. | No creo que haya venido. |
| Creo que habrá venido. | |
| Imperfect Preterit or Conditional |
Imperfect |
| Creí que venía. | No creí que viniera. |
| Creía que vendría. | No creía que viniera. |
| Creo que vino. | No creo que viniera. |
| Pluperfect or Conditional perfect |
Pluperfect |
| Creí que había venido | No creía que hubiese venido |
| Creí que habría venido | |
- Other verbs of physical or mental perception may use indicative or subjunctive. With indicative we state; with the subjunctive we imagine or formulate hypothesis. These verbs are: aceptar, admitir, comprender, conceder, creer, parecer, temerse.
Parece que esconda algo. (= I guess he’s hiding something.)
Comprendo que tengas muchas obligaciones. (= You tell me you have many obligations and I suppose you are telling me the truth.)
- The verbs of communication may introduce clauses built with indicative or subjunctive tenses. If the clause is affirmative, the indicative indicates commitment of the speaker with the truth of the subordinate clause, the subjunctive indicates order (this use is not possible with all the verbs).
Nos han comunicado que hay riesgo de inundación.
Notifica a todos los jefes de departamento que vengan a mi despacho. (Order)
In a negative clause, indicative is used to show that something real and obvious was not said, whereas with the subjunctive the speaker does not involve with the truth of the subordinate clause, because something has not been said. To negate that something has been said, indicative or subjunctive can be used. These verbs are: advertir, afirmar, avisar, balbucear, comunicar, confesar, contar, contestar, convencer, decir, declarar, defender, empeñarse en, escribir, establecer, explicar, fingir, gritar, hacer que, indicar, jurar, manifestar, murmurar, notificar, objetar, ofrecer, persuadir, pretender, querer, recordar, referir, repetir, replicar, responder, revelar, significar, sostener, telefonear, tratar.
Marta no dijo que tú eras ingeniero. (= You are an engineer, but Marta has not said so.)
Marta no dijo que tú fueras ingeniero. (= You should not be an engineer, because Marta has not said anything about it.)
Yo nunca he dicho que fueras / eres tonto. (= I would never insult you.)
- With the negative verbs of perception and communication is possible the subjunctive and the indicative. In affirmative clauses, subjunctive is used to show that there is not commitment of the speaker with the statement in the subordinate clause; on the contrary, the indicative does show the commitment of the speaker with the truth ofthe statement in the subordinate clause. To negate that something has been said both indicative and subjunctive are used. When a negative verb of perception or communication appears negated by adverbs, it is usually in indicative. These verbs are: callar, desconfiar, dudar, ignorar, negar, ocultar, olvidar, olvidarse de, poner en duda.
Dudo que venga. (= I think that he will not come.)
Con sus comentarios intenta poner en duda que yo soy el padre de este niño. (= I am the father and that is true.)
No he olvidado que te debo mucho.
No niego que me gusta el vino, pero no soy un borracho.
- The indicative is used to express certainty; to show uncertainty, indicative or subjunctive. The verbs of affirmation or certainty are: ser verdad, parecer verdad, ser cierto, parecer cierto, ser seguro, parecer seguro, ser evidente, parecer evidente, ser indudable, parecer indudable, ser claro, parecer claro, estar claro, estar demostrado que, ser probado, parecer probado, estar probado, estar convencido, estar seguro, considerar obvio, etc. Si estos verbos aparecen negados son de incertidumbre.
The verbs of uncertainty are: parecer falso, ser falso, ser mentira, ser discutible, haber duda, parecer dudoso, etc. If these verbs appear negated act as verbs of certainty.
Es verdad que viví muchos años en Perú.
No es verdad que viviera muchos años en Perú.