How to form the subjunctive mood
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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 verbs Casar Case Cases Case Meter Casemos Caséis Casen Meta Metas Meta Vivir Metamos Metáis Metan Viva Vivas Viva Vivamos Viváis 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” verbs What 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 Cerremos Cierres Cerréis Cierre Cierren Contar (o-ue) Vuelva Vuelvas Vuelva Entender Cuente Cuentes Cuente Entienda Entendamos Entiendas Entendáis Entienda Entiendan Contemos Contéis Cuenten Volvamos Volváis Vuelvan (e-ie) -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 Sintamos Sientas Sintáis Sienta Sientan Pedir Duerma Durmamos Duermas Durmáis Duerma Duerman Morir Pida Pidas Pida Muera Mueras Muera Pidamos Pidáis Pidan Muramos Muráis 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 = quepCaer = caigDecir = digHacer = hagOir = oigPoner = pongSalir = salgTener = tengValer = valgVenir = vengVer = ve- + opposite endings (a, as, a, amos, áis, an) Verbs with special spelling changes: car = que Sacar cer/cir = zca Conocer gar = gue Pagar Saque Saquemos Saques Saquéis Saque Saquen Conozca Conozcas Conozca Pague Pagues Pague Conozcamos Conozcáis Conozcan ger/gir = ja Escoger zar = ce Rezar Escoja Escojas Escoja Rece Reces Rece Escojamos Escojáis Escojan Recemos Recéis Recen Paguemos Paguéis Paguen 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 Dé Des Dé Ir Estar Demos Deis Den Esté Estés Esté Haber Estemos Estéis Estén Saber Vaya Vayamos Sepa Sepamos Vayas Vayáis Sepas Sepáis Vaya Vayan Sepa Sepan Haya Hayamos Hayas Hayáis Haya Hayan Ser Sea Seas Sea Seamos Seáis Sean Now that you know the conjugations for the subjunctive mood conjugate the following verbs: Caminar Meter Subir Sentar Mover Dormir Tener Salir Conocer Pagar Dirigir Buscar Ir Ser Saber Caminar Camine Camines Camine Caminemos Caminéis Caminen Meter Meta Metas Meta Metamos Metáis Metan Subir Suba Subas Suba Subamos Subáis Suban Sentar Siente Sientes Siente Sentemos Sentéis Sienten Mover Mueva Muevas Mueva Movamos Mováis Muevan Dormir Duerma Duermas Duerma Durmamos Durmáis Duerman Tener Tenga Tengas Tenga Tengamos Tengáis Tengan Salir Salga Salgas Salga Salgamos Salgáis Salgan Conocer Conozca Conozcas Conozca Conozcamos Conozcáis Conozcan Pagar Pague Pagues Pague Paguemos Paguéis Paguen Dirigir Dirija Dirijas Dirija Dirijamos Dirijáis Dirijan Buscar Busque Busques Busque Busquemos Busquéis Busquen Ir Vaya Vayas Vaya Vayamos Vayáis Vayan Ser Sea Seas Sea Seamos Seáis Sean Saber Sepa Sepas Sepa Sepamos Sepáis Sepan Write the forms of the subjunctive mood that corresponds to these verb forms of the present indicative tense. Comen Piden Protegen Se sienten Podemos Morimos Enciendo Cerráis Pedís Dormimos Buscan Va Son Comienzan Dices Vemos Pago Tienes Answers: Coman Pidan Protejan Se sientan Podamos Muramos Encienda Cerréis Pidáis Durmamos Busquen Vaya Sean Comiencen Digas Veamos Pague Tengas From which infinitives did the following subjunctive forms come? Sean Tengan Se sientan Compréis Conozcáis Muramos Oigan Practiquen Sepas Des Answers: Ser Tener Sentirse Comprar Conocer Morir Oír Practicar Saber 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 Dejar(to allow, permit) Desear Esperar Exigir(to demand) Hacer Insistir en (to insist on) Mandar(to order) Pedir(i) Permitir Preferir(ie) Prohibir Querer(ie) Recomendar (ie) Rogar(to beg)(ue) Sugerir(to suggest)(ie) Here is a review of the “formula” found in this section: Subject #1 + verb #1 + que + subject #2 + verb #2 The 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
