USING THE SUBJUNCTIVE IN FORMAL COMMANDS
FORMAL FORMS OF ADDRESS INCLUDE:
USTED / YOU
USTEDES / YOU GUYS
FORMAL COMMANDS REQUIRE THE SUBJUNCTIVE MODE OF THE
PRESENT TENSE. THIS IS FORMED BY:
1. TAKING THE YO-FORM OF THE VERB IN THE PRESENT TENSE
HABLO
COMO
ESCRIBO
TENGO
PONGO
PIENSO
VUELVO
(REGULAR -AR VERB)
(REGULAR -ER VERB)
(REGULAR -IR VERB)
(IRREGULAR YO-FORM)
(IRREGULAR YO-FORM)
(YO-FORM STEM CHANGE)
(YO-FORM STEM CHANGE)
2. REMOVING THE “O” AND ADDING THE OPPOSITE VOWEL
HABLE (UD.)
COMA
ESCRIBA
TENGA
PONGA
PIENSE
VUELVA
(REGULAR -AR VERB)
(REGULAR -ER VERB)
(REGULAR -IR VERB)
(IRREGULAR YO-FORM)
(IRREGULAR YO-FORM)
(YO-FORM STEM CHANGE)
(YO-FORM STEM CHANGE)
3. FOR USTEDES (UDS. / YOU GUYS) FORMS FOLLOW THE SAME
PATTERN AND ADD A FINAL “N” TO INDICATE PLURALITY
HABLEN español, COMAN toda la comida, VUELVAN a las 10:00, etc.
NOSOTROS COMMANDS ALSO REQUIRE THE SUBJUNCTIVE, BUT THEY
DO NOT HAVE STEM CHANGES FOUND IN SOME YO-FORMS:
VOLVAMOS a casa. (Let’s go home. ) HABLEMOS francés. (Let’s speak French.)