The Present Subjunctive

P. 410

Realidades 2

The Subjunctive

Up to now you have been using verbs in the indicative mood, which is used to talk about facts or actual events.

The Subjunctive

Aprendo francés para mi viaje.

The Subjunctive

Spanish has another way of using verbs called the subjunctive mood.

The Subjunctive

We use it to say what one person does or doesn’t want, tell, suggest, or recommend someone else to do.

The Subjunctive

A sentence that includes the subjunctive form has two parts connected by the word que.

For example:

The Subjunctive

Recomendamos que Uds. hablen con un agente de viajes.

We recommend that you speak with a travel agent.

The Subjunctive

¿Quiere Ud. que escribamos nuestros nombres en las maletas.

Do you want us to write our names on our suitcases?

The Subjunctive

Note that the subjunctive sentences have two parts, each with a different subject, connected by the word que:

2 Clauses

Ella sugiere que yo aprenda francés

Independent clause(stands on its own)Subject > Verb

Separated by the word “que”

Dependent clause (can’t stand on its own)Begins with the word “que.”

Indicative Verb

Subjunctive Verb

The Subjunctive

The first subject uses the present indicative verb (recommendation, suggestion, prohibition, and so on) + que and the second subject uses the present subjunctive verb (what should happen).

The Subjunctive

Verbs that are often follewed by que + subjunctive:

Decir Insistir en Necesitar Permitir Preferir (e > ie)

Prohibir Querer (e > ie) Recomendar (e > ie) Sugerir (e > ie)

The Subjunctive

We form the present subjunctive of most verbs the same way we form negative tú commands.

The Subjunctive

We drop the -o of the present-tense indicative yo form and add the subjunctive endings.

The Subjunctive

For -ar verbs:e, es, e, emos, éis, enFor -er/-ir verbs:a, as, a, amos, áis, an

HABLAR

hable

hables

hable

hablemos

habléis

hablen

COMER

coma

comas

coma

comamos

comáis

coman

VIVIR

viva

vivas

viva

vivamos

viváis

vivan

The Subjunctive

The present subjunctive has the same spelling changes and irregular yo form changes used with the negative tú commands and Ud./Uds. commands.

Irregular Subjunctive Verbs

As in negative commands, irregular verbs that add a “g” to the stem in the present-tense yo form also have a “g” in the present subjunctive.

Irregular Subjunctive Verbs

caersedecirhacerponersalir

tenertraer

Irregular Subjunctive Verbs

hacer hag-o haga

tener teng-o tenga

LLEGAR (g > gu)

llegue

llegues

llegue

lleguemos

lleguéis

lleguen

HACER

haga

hagas

haga

hagamos

hagáis

hagan