PRESENT SUBJUNCTIVE: Formation & Usage in Noun Clauses
The subjunctive tense is required when certain verbs or verb phrases are used that indicate
subjective information: opinions, recommendations, feelings, impressions, doubt, uncertainty,
etc., as opposed to the indicative, which states facts or certainty.
STRUCTURE
REGULAR VERBS IN THE PRESENT SUBJUNCTIVE:
Regular verbs in the present subjunctive are similar to the Ud. command, and are formed like
this:
* Take the “YO” form of the present tense conjugation: hablar = hablo, salir = salgo
* Change the final “o” to the opposite ending,** just like in the Ud. Commands: hable, salga…
* Extend this stem into the other conjugations. Note that the 1st & 3rd person singular coincide:
hable, hables, hable, hablemos, habléis, hablen
salga, salgas, salga, salgamos, salgáis, salgan
** opposite ending = opposite vowel from stem: -AR = e ending
-ER, -IR = a ending
SPELL CHANGES IN THE PRESENT SUBJUNCTIVE
The present subjunctive tense requires certain spell changes that are based on a spell change
in the yo form of the present indicative which carries over to all conjugations of the subjunctive.
This includes the "yo-go" verbs, or verbs ending in -go in the yo form of the present indicative
(see the verb salir above), and verbs which change spelling due to pronunciation of the final
stem consonant.
EXAMPLES:
HACER (change due to yo form of present indicative)
—Yo form of present: hago
—Present subjunctive: haga, hagas, haga, hagamos, hagáis, hagan
PONER (change due to yo form of present indicative)
—Yo form of present: pongo
—Present subjunctive: ponga, pongas, ponga, pongamos, pongáis, pongan
LLEGAR (change due to pronunciation of "g" + "e" in order to maintain hard g sound)*
—Yo form of present: llego
—Present subjunctive: llegue, llegues, llegue, lleguemos, lleguéis, lleguen
*Since we must change this -AR verb to endings that begin with "e", the only way to
maintain the hard "g" sound is to add the letter "u" in front of the "e". Note that this is
exactly what happens for these same verbs in the yo form of the preterite: Yo llegué, etc.
In the present subjunctive, of course, the final syllable is not stressed.
PRESENT SUBJUNCTIVE: Formation & Usage in Noun Clauses
STEM CHANGES IN THE PRESENT SUBJUNCTIVE
-AR, -ER verbs:
Stem-changes in the present subjunctive for -AR and -ER verbs follow the same pattern
as in the present indicative: they have the same stem changes in the same conjugations
(all but nosotros & vosotros) but with "opposite" endings used in the present subjunctive:
EXAMPLES:
PENSAR = piense, pienses, piense, pensemos, penséis, piensen
VOLVER = vuelva, vuelvas, vuelva, volvamos, volváis, vuelvan
-IR verbs:
Stem-changes in the present subjunctive for -IR verbs have different rules.
(a) The stem change used in the present indicative is maintained for all conjugations
except nosotros and vosotros, BUT:
(b) In the nosotros and vosotros form, there IS a stem change in the present subjunctive,
which can also be different from the other conjugations: o  u; e  i.
EXAMPLES:
DORMIR = duerma, duermas, duerma, durmamos, durmáis, duerman
PREFERIR = prefiera, prefieras, prefiera, prefiramos, prefiráis, prefieran
IRREGULAR VERBS IN THE PRESENT SUBJUNCTIVE:
Take the Ud. Command form and extend it to other conjugations. The acronym DISHES will
help you remember these verbs:
DAR = dé, des, dé, demos, deis, den
IR = vaya, vayas, vaya, vayamos, vayáis, vayan
SER = sea, seas, sea, seamos, seáis, sean
HABER = haya, hayas, haya, hayamos, hayáis, hayan***
ESTAR = esté, estés, esté, estemos, estéis, estén
SABER = sepa, sepas, sepa, sepamos, sepáis, sepan
***Note: The conjugations of HABER in the present subjunctive are used as follows:
(a) subjunctive form of there is/ there are: only the 3rd person singular, as in the indicative.
Dudo que haya otro examen esta semana.
= I doubt there is (will be) another test this week.
(b) auxiliary verb in the Present Perfect Subjunctive.
No creo que ellos hayan entendido todo.
= I don't think that they have understood everything.
PRESENT SUBJUNCTIVE: Formation & Usage in Noun Clauses
USAGE: The acronym WEIRDO will help you remember uses of the present subjunctive
in noun clauses.
W = wishes, wants.
(Yo) quiero que (tú) estudies. = I want you to study.
(Ella) espera que (tú) saques buenas notas. = She hopes you get good grades.
(Ellos) prefieren que nosotros no estemos aquí. = They prefer for us not to be here.
E = emotions.
(Yo) temo que (él) se lastime. = I am afraid he will hurt himself.
(Él) se alegra de que hables español. = He’s happy/glad that you speak Spanish.
I = Impersonal expressions.
Es importante que (tú) practiques. = It’s important for you to practice.
Es necesario que (ellos) vengan. = It’s necessary for them to come.
Es imposible que (él) salga. = It’s impossible for him to leave/ go out.
Es sorprendente que (ellos) sepan hablar portugués. = It’s surprising that they can speak
Portuguese.
Es triste que (tú) no tengas coche. = It’s sad that you don’t have a car.
Es lamentable que (yo) no hable francés. = It’s a shame that I don’t speak French.
R = requests/ demands.
Mis padres insisten en que (yo) vaya. = My parents insist that I go.
D = doubt, denial. ***
Dudo que (él) coma mucha fruta. = I doubt that he eats a lot of fruit.
Es dudoso que (nosotros) terminemos pronto. = It’s doubtful that we will finish early.
No creo que (a tí) te guste esta comida. = I don’t think you (will) like this food.
O = Ojalá. (= I really wish/ hope… not a verb, but a word that requires subjunctive)
¡Ojalá que (tú) seas feliz! = I really hope that you are/will be happy.
NOTE: Use of the word "que" is optional after "ojalá"
***Note that if a verb expressing doubt is negated, or if a verb expressing belief is used in the
affirmative, the indicative will be used. EXAMPLES:
No dudo que él es muy inteligente. = I don't doubt that he is very intelligent.
Creo que tus amigos tienen la razón. = I think/believe your friends are right.