******************************************************** The Subjunctive! ******************************************************** Present Subjunctive The subjunctive form in the present is used to express 1. Actions realized by another person. ie. Yo necesito que tú estudies. I need (indicative) you to study (subjunctive). El doctor prohibe que fume. The doctor prohibits (indicative) that you smoke (subjunctive). 2. To express non-real situations, or hypothetical scenarios such as needs, wishes, doubts or possibilities. ie. Es posible que llueva hoy. It is possible that it rains today. (possibility) ie. Cuando salga de clase voy a llamar a mi novia. When I leave class (subj) I will call my girlfriend (ind). (hypothetical situation) Note: The subjunctive is used only in cases of doubt or possibility. Use the indicative to express things that are certain. ie. Es cierto que Juan viene al trabajo. It is certain that Juan comes to work. Other common phrases for the indicative include Es verdad que... Es claro que... Esta seguro... Common phrases for the subjunctive include Puede ser... Ser posible que... Dudar que... No dudar que... (always use subjunctive with dudar) No ser cierto... 3. Exceptions: Although the following phrases express doubt, the subjunctive is NOT used. Parecer que... Pensar que... Creer que... (for positive beliefs, see below) When using the verb `creer´- `to believe´, use indicative for positive beliefs and use subjunctive for negative beliefs. ie. Yo creo que el Profesor viene hoy. (indicative) Yo no creo que el Profesor venga hoy. (subjunctive) 4. The subjunctive is also used after phrases that express emotion or judgement. The phrases include... Ser bueno... Ser fácil... Ser mejor... Gustar... Ser intersante... ie. Es bueno que los estudiantes lleguen temprano a clase. It is a good idea that the students arrive on time to class. (Subjunctive because arriving on time is a hypothetical situation.) ie. Es intersante que digas eso. It is interesting that you say that. (To be interesting is a subjective emotion) 5. Use the subjunctive if you do not know the person, event, or situation, or to describe something vague. ie. Dudo que ellos sean inteligentes. I doubt that they are intelligent. Busco algo que quite el dolor. I am looking for something that stops the pain. However, the indiciative is used if you know the person, event, or situation. ie. Dudo que mis amigos son inteligentes. I doubt that my friends are smart. Busco la medicina que quita el dolor. I am looking for the medicine that stops the pain. (more specific than above) ******************************************************** Forming the Subjunctive in the present In general use the Usted command form for the stem of the subjunctive verb conjugation. For example verb ....... Ud command hablar ..... hable comer ...... coma venir ...... venga ser ........ sea pagar ...... pague pedir ...... pida Present Subjunctive Forms yo hable yo sea tú hables tú seas él hable él sea nosotros hablemos nosotros seamos ellos hablen ellos sean yo coma yo pague tú comas tú pagues él coma él pague nosotros comamos nosotros paguemos ellos coman ellos paguen yo venga yo pida tú vengas tú pidas ella venga ella pida nosotros vengamos nosotros pidamos ellos vengan ellos pidan ******************************************************* Subjunctive in the Past To conjugate the subjunctive in the past use the following bases for regular verbs trabajar ............... trabajara comer .................. comiera escribir ............... escribiera For irregular verbs the stem is the same stem as the 3rd person preterit. See examples below venir .................. viniera poner .................. pusiera ir ..................... fuera ser .................... fuera saber .................. supiera haber .................. hubiera ******************************************************* Examples of subjunctive in the Past Use the present form of the subjunctive if the subject is in the present. Example La policía prohibe que manejes por la calle. Use the past form of the subjunctive if the subject is in the preterit or imperfect form. Example La policía prohibió que manejaras por la calle. (note use of preterit indicative, followed by past subjunctive) Su madre deseaba que comiera las verduras. (note use of imperfect indicative, followed by past subjunctive) ********************************************************* Si Conditional Use the following rules for using indicative vs. subjunctive when describing conditional statements. 1. For facts, the indicative is used. Verb forms: Present + Future ie. Si toma la medicina, va a mejorar. If you take the medicine, you are going to get better. ie. Si toma la medicina, mejorará. If you take the medicine, you will get better. 2. To express a consequence of an event or situation that did not occur (non-real), use the subjunctive and conditional. Verb forms: Subjunctive Past + Conditional ie. Si tomara la medicina, mejoraría. If I took the medicine, I could have gotten better. Verb forms: Subjunctive Past Perfect + Conditional Perfect ie. Si hubiera tomado la medicina, habría mejoarado. If I would have taken the medicine, I could have gotten better. 3. Use of the subjunctive or indicative helps express how likely a situation is to occur. If the situation is very likely to occur, use the indicative. Verb forms: Indicative Present + Imperative ie. Si tiene dolor, vaya al hospital. If you have pain, go to the hospital (pain is very likely). 4. If the situation is not very likely to occur, use the subjunctive. Verb forms: Subjunctive Present + Imperative ie. Si tenga dolor, vaya al hospital. If you have pain, go to the hospital (pain is not very likely).