In Spanish, verbs are categorized into two main forms: indicative and subjunctive. The indicative encompasses familiar tenses such as present, past, and future, which function much like we do in English. On the other hand, the subjunctive mood is used to express wishes, doubts, desires, hopes, and possibilities, i.e., all things we do not have evidence about. When we are uncertain about something, when the information is not specific, verified or experienced, we turn into the subjunctive.

The subjunctive allows us to express ideas that help us assess actions or situations, together with some verbs and phrases that convey feelings and emotions such as surprise, joy, liking, dislike, amazement, and, fear.

Let’s explore the subjunctive together! First let’s look at some examples:

Sometimes , it is used in “simple” sentences (with just one verb):

The present subjunctive is also used in subordinate clauses preceded by a main clause (in the present, future, imperative, or present perfect) in the indicative mood:

Notice how in all the examples provided here, you find a construction where one clause is in the indicative mood while another is in the subjunctive mood. This contrast is usually introduced by the conjunction “que” (that). This pattern shows a very common structure in Spanish, where the indicative clause establishes a fact or reality (usually the speaker’s attitude towards the action contained in the subordinated sentence), while the subjunctive clause expresses a related but uncertain or subjective aspect (wish, hope, obligation, emotion, etc.).

Often, instead of using the full expression:
Espero que pases un buen fin de semana. (I hope you have a nice weekend)

Spanish speakers usually say:
Que pases un buen fin de semana.

It is important to remember that when the subject of both the main verb and of the subordinate one is the same, we use the indicative mood, not the subjunctive.

Notice the difference between:

In the first sentence, the subject in the main clause and the subordinate one are not the same. On the other hand, in the second sentence the subject is the same.

Keep in mind that the present tense of the subjunctive form can express both current and future actions or situations:

Cuando + subjunctive

One way we express this future action is with the adverb “cuando” (when). In subordinate sentences where the main clause refers to the future, we use the subjunctive form of the verb. Occasionally, it may also convey an imperative mood.

In addition, there are various conjunctions and expressions that typically accompany the subjunctive form:

• Ojalá                                                       If only / I hope so
• Es importante que                               It is important that
• Es necesario que                                  It is necessary to
• Es posible que                                      It is possible that
• Quizá                                                     Maybe
• No estar seguro de que                      Not be sure of
• Recomendar que                                 To recommend that
• Aunque                                                 Although
• Cuando                                                 When
• Hasta que                                             Until
• Para que                                                So that
• Posiblemente                                       Possibly
• Tal vez                                                   Maybe

Indicative or Subjunctive?

The main difference between the indicative and the subjunctive is what the speaker aims to say. In the indicative mood, the speaker states facts: makes declarations through affirmative, negative sentences, or questions about something. On the other hand, in the subjunctive mood, the speaker does not assert the truth or falsehood of a piece of information or question it directly. It is more about expressing feelings or attitudes towards information.

Now let’s look into regular verbs in Spanish in the subjunctive mood.

Notice the following patterns:

• Verbs ending in -ar change the ending vowel to “e”.
• Verbs ending in -er and -ir change the ending vowel to “a”.
• Both the first and third person are conjugated exactly the same.

Irregular Verbs

When it comes to irregular verbs, we encounter various types that can be divided into groups to facilitate learning.

Firstly, there are those verbs that are simply irregular and must be learned individually:

Some verbs undergo a vowel change in the last vowel of the stem / root:

Some verbs add a consonant before the ending of the present subjunctive:

*Some verbs undergo modifications in their spelling to preserve the pronunciation of the infinitive in the conjugated forms.

Exercises / Ejercicios

In this lesson, we explored the concept of the subjunctive mood in Spanish. We provided an overview of how the subjunctive mood is formed and used in Spanish, exploring many examples, uses and, most importantly, we shed light on the crucial distinctions between the subjunctive and indicative moods. We also covered irregular verbs in the subjunctive mood to provide an understanding. If you are interested in further enriching your understanding of Spanish, we recommend exploring “Introduction to Spanish Conjugations”.