13.2: The subjunctive
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\(\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}\) \(\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}\) \(\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}\) \(\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}\) \(\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}\) \(\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}\) \(\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}\) \(\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}\) \(\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}\) \(\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}\) \(\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}\) \(\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}\) \(\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}\) \(\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}\) \(\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}\) \(\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}\) \(\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}\) \(\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}\) \(\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}\) \(\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}\) \(\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}\) \(\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}\) \(\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}\) \(\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}\) \(\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}\) \(\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}\) \(\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}\) \(\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}\) \(\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}\) \(\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}\) \(\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}\) \(\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}\) \(\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}\) \(\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}\) \(\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}\) \(\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}\) \(\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}\) \(\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}\) \(\newcommand{\lt}{<}\) \(\newcommand{\gt}{>}\) \(\newcommand{\amp}{&}\) \(\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}\)The Subjunctive
What is the subjunctive? The subjunctive is a mood. It tells the listener or reader how the speaker or writer feels about something.
Both English and Spanish have three moods
1. The indicative states information or asks questions. Estudiamos español. ¿Estudias mucho?
2. The imperative, or commands, to tells others to do something. Estudia tú. Bebe tú agua suficiente. No se preocupen.
3. The subjunctive expresses wishing, emotion, doubt, denial, impersonal expressions, negativity, or hoping, when we use ojalá. Quiero que ustedes hagan bien en esta clase. Es importante que hablemos español. Ojalá que todo pase bien.
We will study the subjunctive now.
We use the subjunctive in longer sentences that want to express wishing, emotion, doubt, denial, an impersonal expression, negativity, or hoping with the word ojalá.
In order to use the subjunctive, a sentence must have five parts.
They are:
subject one + verb one + que + subject two + verb two
If the first verb indicates: Wishing, Emotion, Doubt, Denial, Impersonal Expressions, Negativity, o God = Ojalá and there are two different subjects, it is necessary to use the subjunctive in verb two.
Notice how the first verb must indicate WEDDING = wishing, emotion, doubt, denial, impersonal expression, negativity, OR hoping with the word ojalá. For example
Mis padres quieren que yo tenga mucho éxito. (wishing) Estamos contentos que nuestra profesora hable español. (emotion) Dudo que no tengamos tarea esta noche. (doubt) No creo que mis padres me compren un coche. (denial) Es bueno que practiquemos español. (impersonal expression) No estoy seguro de que cantemos en clase. (negativity) Ojalá que la profesora nos traiga café. (ojalá)
If the sentence does not have a second subject, it is not necessary to conjugate again. With one subject, we only conjugate the first verb and leave the second one as an infinitive.
If the sentence does not have a second subject, it is not necessary to conjugate again. With one subject, we only conjugate the first verb and leave the second one as an infinitive. For example
Quiero correr. I want to run.
Me importa sacar buenas notas. Getting good grades is important to me.
Es bueno estudiar español en la universidad. It is good to study Spanish in college.
Remember, it is necessary to have two different subjects to have to different, conjugated verbs.
The Formation of the Present Subjunctive
There are three steps to conjugate in the present subjunctive.
1. Start with the YO form of the present indicative.
2. Remove the final O.
3. Add the opposite vowel ending.
Remember, this is how we formed usted, ustedes, nosotros, and negative tú commands.
The difference between a command and the subjunctive is that a sentence with the subjunctive is longer and has to have five parts. These five parts are: subject one, verb one, que, subject two, and verb two.
Identify these five parts in the following sentences.
Mis padres quieren que yo estudie en la universidad.
La profesora duda que la clase entienda todas las conjugaciones perfectamente.
Es importante que tú te diviertas en esta clase.
Now, let us look at some examples of verbs conjugated in the present subjunctive.
cantar comer escribir
cante cantemos coma comamos escriba escribamos
cantes cantéis comas comáis escribas escribáis
cante canten coma coman escriba escriban
Remember, we use the subjunctive in verb two IF verb one indicates one element of WEDDING. If verb one does NOT indicate wishing, emotion, doubt, denial, and impersonal expression, negativity, or ojalá, we use the present indicative again. For example
La profesora cree que somos inteligentes. verb one = No WEDDING = present indicative
La profesora quiere que la clase sea divertida. verb one = wishing = present subjuntive
In the first example, there is no part of the wedding, so we are just stating information and we use the present indicative, like we have always done.
In the second example, the teacher is wishing, so we use the present subjunctive.
Verbs with an Irregular YO Form
It is necessary to remember that we start with the you form of the present indicative. Then, if a verb has an irregular YO form, we are going to use that irregular form.
For example
tener poner hacerse
tenga tengamos ponga pongamos me haga nos hagamos
tengas tengáis pongas pongáis te hagas os hagáis
tenga tengan ponga pongan se haga se hagan
Notice how pronouns are placed before the conjugated verb.
Verbs with a Spelling Change
We have seen that verbs that end in CAR, GAR, or ZAR in the preterite have a spelling change. We will repeat this spelling change in all forms of the present subjunctive
For example
tocar jugar almorzar
toque toquemos juegue juguemos almuerce almorcemos
toques toquéis juegues juguéis almuerces almorcéis
toque toquen juegue jueguen almuerce almuercen
Notice how a verb can have a spelling change and a stem change in the present subjunctive conjugation. Also notice how the stem change does not take place in the nosotros and vosotros forms. The last two verbs above, jugar and almorzar, show this.
Verbs with a Stem-Change
Verbs that have a stem change in the present indicative will have a stem change in the same forms in the present subjunctive or AR and ER verbs. For example
cerrar entender
cierre cerremos entienda entendamos
cierres cerréis entiendas entendáis
cierre cierren entienda entiendan
IR verbs will have this same stem change and an additional one in the nosotros and vosotros forms. For example
preferir dormir pedir
prefiera prefiramos duerma durmamos pida pidamos
prefieras prefiráis duermas durmáis pidas pidáis
prefiera prefieran duerma duerman pida pidan
Irregular Verbs in the Present Subjunctive
There are six verbs that are irregular in the present subjunctive. They are
dar ir ser
dé demos vaya vayamos sea seamos
des deis vayas vayáis seas seáis
dé den vaya vayan sea sean
haber estar saber
haya hayamos esté estemos sepa sepamos
hayas hayáis estés estéis sepas sepáis
haya hayan esté estén sepa sepan
Notice how the first letter of these six verbs spells the word DISHES. Since these verbs do not have a YO form that ends in O, they have an irregular form in the present subjunctive. The word DISHES can make it easier to remember these six irregular verbs.
Where else have we seen the acronym DISHES? Yes, we these six verbs also had irregular forms in usted, ustedes, nosotros, and negative tú commands.
We know enough now to practice conjugating in the subjunctive mood.
Prácticas.
A. Conjugate the following verbs in the present subjunctive.
bailar comer vivir
dar ser irse
B. Complete each sentence by conjugating the verb in parenthesis in the present subjunctive.
1. Es importante que tú (estudiar) __________________________ este modo.
2. Es bueno que nuestro equipo (ganar) _________________________.
3. Es necesario que nosotros (ir) ________________________ a la clase diariamente.
4. Es posible que ella (conjugar) ______________________el verbo.
5. Es bueno que tú (repasar) _________________________la tarea.
6. Deseamos que Ud. (tener) _____________________ éxito.
7. La profesora quiere que el estudiante (responder) _____________________.
8. La clase quiere que la lección (ser) _________________________ divertida.
9. Los padres quieren que la universidad no (costar) _____________________ tanto.
10. Dudo que ustedes no (entender) ________________________________.
11. No es seguro que el perro (dormir) ______________________________.
12. Yo quiero que tú (poder) ______________________________entender esta tarea.
13. Es importante que nosotros (prepararnos) _________________________ para cada clase.
14. Ojalá que no (nevar) __________________________ hoy.
15. Ojalá que la profesora (traer) ____________________________los dulces.
C. Music. The songs A Dios Le Pido by Juanes adn Ojalá by Juan Luis Guerra both include the subjunctive. Listen to the two songs. Then, pick one of them. As you listen to it again, write down the verbs that you hear in the subjunctive. You might need to listen to each song several times.
D. What is the subjunctive? What are the five necessary components to use it? Give three examples of sentences with the subjunctive.