The Subjunctive--Usage

Most of the textbooks and grammar books that we have seen try to categorize the subjunctive into subjective states: they cite emotion, prohibition, permission, causality, etc. There are plenty of books with this type of explanation around already, so we won´t bore you by repeating it. Besides, after years of teaching, we are convinced that that type of explanation is pretty much useless. Using that sort of guideline, you'll be able to find hundreds of exceptions to the 'rules'.

We believe that the subjunctive is something that is learned mechanically. You learn a number of expressions or verbs which always take the subjunctive, learn and practice them, and eventually you will remember to use the subjunctive form after them. Therefore, in this spirit, we are going to offer you a fairly complete list of the expressions and verbs which take the subjunctive.

What you will have to learn is when to use the present, perfect or past subjunctive behind them. We'll give you an example of this with the verb esperar que. This example will be applicable to almost all of the verbs and expressions on the list.

For example, in a present tense time situation, you hope someone is going to arrive soon. So you say:

Espero que llegue pronto. (Present subjunctive).

If you hope he/she has already arrived, you would say:

Espero que haya llegado. (Perfect subjunctive).

Speaking about the past (what happened yesterday, for example), it would be:

Esperaba que llegara. (Past subjunctive).

These examples are certainly not sufficient to enable you to master the use of the subjunctive, but they do show the heart of the matter. If you can master the tense-usage concept, and remember which expressions use the subjunctive, you will get it eventually.

Expressions
no puede ser que - "it can't be"
cuando (referring to the future) - "when"
qué raro que - "how strange that"
es posible que - "it's possible that"
qué pena que - "what a shame that"
qué lástima que - "what a shame that"
qué bien que - "how good that"
no es cierto que - "it's not true that"
no es verdad que - "it's not true that"
no es evidente que - "it's not evident that"
no está claro que - "it's not clear that"
no es que - "it's not that"
ojalá (que) - "I hope / wish"
lo mejor es que - "the best thing is to"
es necesario que - "it's necessary to"
es probable que - "it's probable that"
para que - "in order to"
hasta que (referring to the future) - "until"
excepto que - "unless"
con tal de que - "provided that"
en caso de que - "in the event that"
en cuanto - "as soon as"
mientras (referring to the future) - "while"
aunque (referring to the future) - "although"
como (threat) - "if"
siempre que - "provided that"
siempre y cuando - "provided that"
es normal/lógico/necesario (etc.) que -
   "it's normal/logical/necessary that"

Verbs
extrañar(le)que - "to seem strange"
importar(le) que - "to matter"
molestar(le) que - "to bother"
decir(le) que (imperative) - "to tell someone (to do something)"
pedir(le) que (imperative) - "to ask someone (to do something)"
querer que (imperativo) - "to want that"
esperar que - "to hope that"
dejar que - "to allow (someone to do something)"
no estar de acuerdo con - "to not agree with"
estar en contra de que - "to be against"
parecer(le) bien/mal que - "to seem right/wrong that"
alegrarse de que - "to be happy that"
dar(le) miedo de que - "to be afraid that"
tener miedo de que - "to be afraid that"
hace falta que - "to be necessary that"
vale/merece la pena que - "to be worthwhile to"
recomendar(le) que - "to recommend that"
aconsejar(le) que - "to advise that"
perdonar que - "to ask forgiveness for"
no creer que - "to not believe that"
gustar que - "to like that"
gustaría que - "would like that"

We have included (le) with many of the verbs, because they are almost always used with a direct object (a person).. For example, recomendar(le) que will be used in a sentence such as: Te recomiendo que no bebas tanto.

Cuando and aunque when referring to the future work in the following way:

Cuando lleguemos, lo pasaremos bien. (We haven't arrived yet).
Aunque lleguemos tarde, no pasará nada. (We haven't arrived yet).

Special usages

There are a few usages which don't fit conveniently into the list above. For example, when you are specifying a 'quality' of something you don't yet have, you use the subjunctive. Example:

Quiero una casa que tenga una cocina grande.

One other very important usage of the subjunctive is in the conditional sentences. Conditional sentences frequently have an 'if' and 'would' in them. Spanish always uses the past subjunctive in the second conditional, and past perfect subjunctive ('hubiera') in the third conditional. Examples:

Second conditional

If we had money, we would buy a car.
Si tuviéramos dinero, compraríamos un coche.

If I were taller, I would play basketball.
Si fuera más alto, jugaría al baloncesto.

Third conditional

If you had gone, you would have seen it.
Si hubieras ido, lo habrías visto.

If she had saved her money, she wouldn't have to work now.
Si hubiera ahorrado su dinero, no tendría que trabajar ahora.


Related topics

The Present Subjunctive--Formation
The Past Subjunctive--Formation
Contents
Go to Braser Soft's Learn Spanish Home Page (www.braser.com)

Copyright 1998 - 2007, GB Blanchard All Rights Reserved
Website: http://www.braser.com/