Which tenses are used in the subjunctive in Spanish? - Easy Learning Grammar Spanish
- expresses a wish
Quiero que vengan. I want them to come.Quiero que se vaya. I want him/her to go away.Deseamos que tengan éxito. We want them to be successful.
- expresses an emotion
Espero que venga. I hope he comes.Me sorprende que no esté aquí. I’m surprised that he isn’t here.Me alegro de que te gusten. I’m pleased that you like them. Siento mucho que no puedas venir. I’m very sorry that you can’t come.
If the subject of both verbs is the same, an infinitive is used as the second verb instead of a subjunctive. Compare the following examples. In the examples on the left, both the verb expressing the wish or emotion and the second verb have the same subject, so the second verb is an infinitive. In the examples on the right, each verb has a different subject, so the second verb is in the subjunctive. Infinitive construction | Subjunctive construction |
Quiero estudiar. I want to study. | Quiero que José estudie. I want José to study. |
Maite quiere irse. Maite wants to leave. | Maite quiere que me vaya. Maite wants me to leave. |
Siento no poder venir. I’m sorry I can’t come. | Siento que no puedas venir. I’m sorry that you can’t come. |
Me alegro de poder ayudar. I’m pleased to be able to help. | Me alegro de que puedas ayudar. I’m pleased you can help. |
Solo te pido que tengas cuidado. I’m only asking you to be careful.Te aconsejo que no llegues tarde. I’d advise you not to be late.
If the verb in the first part of the sentence is in the present, future or imperative, the second verb will usually be in the present subjunctive.Quiero (present) que lo hagas (present subjunctive). I want you to do it.Iremos (future) por aquí para que no nos vean (present subjunctive). We’ll go this way so that they won’t see us.
If the verb in the first part of the sentence is in the conditional or a past tense, the second verb will usually be in the imperfect subjunctive.Me gustaría (conditional) que llegaras (imperfect subjunctive) temprano. I’d like you to arrive early.Les pedí (preterite) que me esperaran (imperfect subjunctive). I asked them to wait for me.
You will also come across the subjunctive in the following cases:- after verbs expressing doubt or uncertainty, and verbs saying what you think about something that are used with no
Dudo que tenga tiempo. I doubt I’ll have time.No creo que venga. I don’t think she’ll come.No pienso que esté bien. I don’t think it’s right.
- in impersonal constructions that show a need to do something
¿Hace falta que vaya Jaime? Does Jaime need to go?No es necesario que vengas. You don’t need to come.
- in impersonal constructions that do not express facts
Es posible que tengan razón. They may be right.
Use the indicative (that is, any verb form that isn’t subjunctive) after impersonal expressions that state facts provided they are NOT in the negative.Es verdad que es interesante. It’s true that it’s interesting.Es cierto que me gusta el café. It’s true I like coffee.Parece que se va a ir. It seems that he’s going to go.
The subjunctive is used after que to express wishes.¡Que lo pases bien! Have a good time!¡Que te diviertas! Have fun!
The subjunctive is also used after certain conjunctions linking two parts of a sentence which each have different subjects.- antes de que before
¿Quieres decirle algo antes de que se vaya? Do you want to say anything to him before he goes?
- para que so that
Es para que te acuerdes de mí. It’s so that you’ll remember me.
- sin que without
Salimos sin que nos vieran. We left without them seeing us.
Use para, sin and antes de with the infinitive when the subject of both verbs is the same.Fue en taxi para no llegar tarde. He went by taxi so that he wouldn’t be late.Pedro se ha ido sin esperarnos. Pedro’s gone without waiting for us.Cenamos antes de ir al teatro. We had dinner before we went to the theatre.
What are some key features of Spanish verbs? How do you use the present tense in Spanish? How do you form the present simple tense of regular '-ar' verbs (first conjugation) in Spanish? How do you form the present simple tense of regular '-er' verbs (second conjugation) in Spanish? How do you form the present simple tense of regular '-ir' verbs (third conjugation) in Spanish? How do you form the present simple tense of stem-changing Spanish verbs? How do you form the present simple tense of common Spanish irregular verbs? How do you use the present simple tense in Spanish? When do you use 'ser' and 'estar'? How do you form the present continuous tense in Spanish? How do you use the imperative in Spanish? How do you use the imperative in Spanish to tell someone NOT to do something? How do you use the imperative in Spanish to tell someone to do something? Where do you put the object pronoun in Spanish imperatives? How do you use reflexive verbs in Spanish? How do you form the present tense of reflexive verbs in Spanish? Where do you put the reflexive pronoun with Spanish verbs? How do you use the future tense in Spanish? How do you form the future tense in Spanish? Which Spanish verbs have irregular stems in the future tense? How do you use the conditional in Spanish? How do you form the conditional in Spanish? Which Spanish verbs have irregular stems in the conditional? How do you use the preterite in Spanish? How do you form the preterite of regular verbs in Spanish? Which Spanish verbs are irregular in the preterite? What common spelling changes occur in the preterite in Spanish? How do you use the imperfect tense in Spanish? How do you form the imperfect tense in Spanish? Which Spanish verbs are irregular in the imperfect tense? How do you use the perfect tense in Spanish? How do you form the past participle in Spanish? How do you form the perfect tense of some regular verbs in Spanish? Which Spanish verbs have irregular past participles? How do you form the pluperfect or past perfect tense in Spanish? How do you use the passive in Spanish? How do you form the passive in Spanish? How can you avoid using the passive in Spanish? How do you use the gerund in Spanish? How do you form the gerund in Spanish? Where do pronouns go with the gerund in Spanish? What are impersonal verbs in Spanish? How do you use the subjunctive in Spanish?Which tenses are used in the subjunctive in Spanish? How do you form the present subjunctive in Spanish? When should you use the indicative or the subjunctive in Spanish? How do you form the imperfect subjunctive in Spanish? When do you use the present indicative or imperfect subjunctive after 'si' in Spanish? How do you use the infinitive in Spanish? When can you use other verbs followed by an infinitive in Spanish? Which Spanish verbs can be followed by the infinitive without a preposition? Which Spanish verbs can be followed by the preposition 'a' and the infinitive? Which Spanish verbs can be followed by the prepositions 'con', 'de' or 'en' and the infinitive? When are Spanish verbs followed by the preposition 'a', 'de', 'con', 'en' or 'por' and a noun or pronoun? How do you use 'gustar' in Spanish? Which other Spanish verbs behave like 'gustar'?
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alta
or
alto?
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cerca
or
cerca de?
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con
or
contigo?
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decir
or
diciendo?
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decir
diciendo
Daniel se fue sin nada.
llama
or
se llama?
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en brochette
(esp of meat) roasted or grilled on a skewer