How to form the subjunctive mood

The subjunctive mood is used a great deal in the Spanish language. For example, the subjunctive can help a person to talk about something wished for, something about which a person feels some special emotional reaction, or something that is not real in some way.

Before you see any examples of the subjunctive in action, you will learn the proper forms of this mood. This first section will simply teach you how to form the subjunctive.Consider this section a boot camp for forming the subjunctive. For now, all you will have to do is conjugate, memorize, conjugate, and then memorize some more.

Regular verbsCasar Meter Vivir

Case CasemosCases CaséisCase Casen

Meta MetamosMetas MetáisMeta Metan

Viva VivamosVivas ViváisViva Vivan

-ar verbs: take off the “-ar” ending to the infinitive

Add “e, es, e, emos, éis, en”

-er/-ir verbs: take off the “-er/-ir” ending of the infinitive

Add “a, as, a, amos, áis, an”

Stem-changing (boot) verbs

-ar and –er “boot” verbsWhat happens with “boot” verbs in the subjunctive? –Ar and –Er “boot” verbs operate the same way “boot” verbs do in the present tense. The stem change occurs only inside the boot in the 1st, 2nd, 3rd person singular, and in the 3rd person plural. The endings are typical subjunctive endings: -ar verbs “e, es, e, emos, éis, en”; -er verbs “a, as, a, amos, áis, an”

Examples:

Cerrar = (e- ie) Volver (o-ie)

Cierre CerremosCierres CerréisCierre Cierren

Vuelva VolvamosVuelvas VolváisVuelva Vuelvan

Contar (o-ue) Entender (e-ie)

Cuente ContemosCuentes Contéis Cuente Cuenten

Entienda EntendamosEntiendas EntendáisEntienda Entiendan

-Ir boot verbs

-ir “boot” verbs are a little bit different in the subjunctive.The expected stem changes occur inside the boot (in the 1st, 2nd, 3rd person singular and in the person plural)In addition, changes are required in the 1st person and 2nd person plural as well.These special out of the boot changes are the same changes found with these –ir verbs in the 3rd person singular and plural of the preterite. (ex. Sentir = sintió; dormir= durmió)

-IR Boot Verbs

Sentir Dormir

Sienta SintamosSientas SintáisSienta Sientan

Duerma DurmamosDuermas DurmáisDuerma Duerman

Pedir Morir

Pida PidamosPidas PidáisPida Pidan

Muera MuramosMueras MuráisMuera Mueran

Irregular Verbs

You remember that there were a number of verbs that had irregular conjugations in the present tense in the 1st person singular (ex. oigo, quepo, veo, etc…). Because the subjunctive generally builds on the 1st person singular, you will notice those irregularities played out in every form of the subjunctive.

Irregulars:Caber = quep-Caer = caig-Decir = dig-Hacer = hag-Oir = oig-Poner = pong- + opposite endings Salir = salg- (a, as, a, amos, áis, an)Tener = teng-Valer = valg-Venir = veng-Ver = ve-

Verbs with special spelling changes:

car = queSacar

cer/cir = zcaConocer

gar = guePagar

Saque SaquemosSaques SaquéisSaque Saquen

Conozca ConozcamosConozcas ConozcáisConozca Conozcan

Pague PaguemosPagues PaguéisPague Paguen

ger/gir = jaEscoger

zar = ceRezar

Escoja EscojamosEscojas EscojáisEscoja Escojan

Rece RecemosReces RecéisRece Recen

Super-irregulars

Finally, there are 6 verbs whose subjunctive forms are just “locas.” They are not built upon the 1st person singular of the present tense.You will have to memorize these special verbs.

Dar Estar Haber

Dé DemosDes DeisDé Den

Esté EstemosEstés EstéisEsté Estén

Haya HayamosHayas HayáisHaya Hayan

Ir Saber Ser

Vaya VayamosVayas VayáisVaya Vayan

Sepa SepamosSepas SepáisSepa Sepan

Sea SeamosSeas SeáisSea Sean

Now that you know the conjugations for the subjunctive mood conjugate the following verbs:

CaminarMeterSubirSentarMoverDormirTenerSalirConocerPagarDirigirBuscarIrSerSaber

Caminar

Camine CaminemosCamines CaminéisCamine Caminen

Meter

Meta MetamosMetas MetáisMeta Metan

Subir

Suba SubamosSubas SubáisSuba Suban

Sentar

Siente SentemosSientes SentéisSiente Sienten

Mover

Mueva MovamosMuevas MováisMueva Muevan

Dormir

Duerma DurmamosDuermas DurmáisDuerma Duerman

Tener

Tenga TengamosTengas TengáisTenga Tengan

Salir

Salga SalgamosSalgas SalgáisSalga Salgan

Conocer

Conozca ConozcamosConozcas ConozcáisConozca Conozcan

Pagar

Pague PaguemosPagues PaguéisPague Paguen

Dirigir

Dirija DirijamosDirijas DirijáisDirija Dirijan

Buscar

Busque BusquemosBusques BusquéisBusque Busquen

Ir

Vaya VayamosVayas VayáisVaya Vayan

Ser

Sea SeamosSeas SeáisSea Sean

Saber

Sepa SepamosSepas SepáisSepa Sepan

Write the forms of the subjunctive mood that corresponds to these verb forms of

the present indicative tense.

Comen DormimosPiden BuscanProtegen VaSe sienten SonPodemos ComienzanMorimos DicesEnciendo VemosCerráis PagoPedís Tienes

Answers:

Coman DurmamosPidan BusquenProtejan VayaSe sientan SeanPodamos ComiencenMuramos DigasEncienda VeamosCerréis PaguePidáis Tengas

From which infinitives did the following subjunctive forms come?

Sean Muramos

Tengan Oigan

Se sientan Practiquen

Compréis Sepas

Conozcáis Des

Answers:

Ser MorirTener OírSentirse PracticarComprar SaberConocer Dar

The Subjunctive mood after indirect commands

An indirect command features a main clause that asks someone to do something, and a dependent clause (the part of the sentence that follows the word “que”) that mentions the action that the speaker wants the other person to do.The subjunctive is used in that dependent clause because the action being described has not happened yet. There is a certain level of uncertainty inherent in the sentence, and the use of a verb in the subjunctive mood helps to express that uncertainty.

Examples:

Quiero que mi amiga baile conmigo esta noche.I want my friend to dance with me tonight.

Mi madre insiste en que comamos la ensalada primero.My mother insists that we eat the salad first.

Pedimos que los oficiales nos escriban más tarde.

We are asking the officials to write to us later.

In all of the previous sentences, the action in the dependent clause hasn’t happened yet. It is not verifiable.For example, in the first sentence, I want my friend to dance with me, but she just might not.In sentence 2, my mom wants us to eat the salad first, but we may choose to eat dessert first.In the third sentence, we ask the officials to write us later, but maybe they will choose to write us now or not at all.The subjunctive beautifully helps to convey that level of uncertainty.

Common verbs that express commands that would be found in the main clause of these types of sentences.

Decir Pedir(i)Dejar(to allow, permit) PermitirDesear Preferir(ie)Esperar ProhibirExigir(to demand) Querer(ie)Hacer Recomendar (ie)Insistir en (to insist on) Rogar(to beg)(ue)Mandar(to order) Sugerir(to suggest)(ie)

Here is a review of the “formula” found in this section:

Subject #1 + verb #1 + que + subject #2 + verb #2The first person (subject #1) wants, wishes, insists, suggests (verb #1) that (que) (subject #2) do something (verb #2)

Translate the following sentences into Spanish.

1. I’m telling you to shut your mouth immediately!2. My friends recommend that I return home immediately.3. My grandmother wants me to see the film “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” with her.4. My girlfriend insists that I wear a white suit at our wedding, but the idea doesn’t appeal to me at all.5. The sergeant orders us to write down the orders in a notebook.6. That cook prohibits me from making bread in her kitchen.7. The boys are begging that the witnesses tell the truth.

¡Te digo que cierres la boca inmediatamente!Mis amigos recomiendan que vuelva a casa enseguida.Mi abuela quiere que yo vea la pelicula “Harry Potter and the Socerer’s Stone” con ella.Mi novia insiste en que yo lleve un traje blanco en la boda (a nuestra boda), pero no me apetece nada la idea.El sargento nos manda que escribamos las órdenes en un cuaderno.Esa cocinera prohibe que yo haga pan en su cocina.Los chicos ruegan que los testigos digan la verdad.

El Fin

Information cited from:Conner, John Breaking the Spanish Barrier 2006