1. Subjunctive vs. Indicative
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OBJECTIVE: TLW analyze, compare, and contrast the Subjunctive mood from the Indicative mood. TLW use the Subjunctive in order to express doubt, uncertainty, or probability correctly in the Target language in spoken and written form.
1. The subjunctive is one of three moods in Spanish. A mood is used to talk about desires, doubts, wishes, conjecture and possibilities. The other two moods are the indicative and the imperative. In the Subjunctive, the endings are SWITCHED!!!
(-ar verbs will take the –er endings, -er/-ir verbs will take the –ar endings.)
2. The indicative mood is used to talk about facts that are true and concrete.
This is the same as the Regular Present Tense.
3. Mood vs. Tense
Grammatical mood expresses a person’s attitude toward a statement.
Grammatical tense refers to the time that an action took place. There are 3 tenses in Spanish; the past, the present, and the future.
4. How to distinguish between the Subjunctive and the Indicative.
The Subjunctive mood is used to express things that are subjective and/or possible, but not certain/concrete. This includes things like doubts, wishes, recommendations, etc. Think of the subjunctive as anything that it not 100%, without a doubt for sure.
*Ejemplo: It is possible that Valesha studies Spanish.- Es posible que Valesha estudie español.
5. The Indicative mood is used to express things that are objective and/or certain. This includes things like facts,
descriptions, and scheduled events. Use the indicative when there is no uncertainty/probability mentioned.
*Ejemlplo: Valesha studies Spanish.- Valesha estudia español. An
L. Ford
Production
2019

2. Subjunctive vs. Indicative
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Ejemplos: El Subjuntivo
1. The doctor recommends that he takes the medicine with food.
-El médico recomienda que él tome la medicina con comida.
I doubt that she is going to The Dominican Republic next summer.
-Yo dudo que ella vaya a La República Dominicana el verano próximo.
I want Michael to go to the store today.
-Yo quiero que Miguel vaya a la tienda hoy.
I hope that they will come to my party next weekend.
-Yo espero que ellos vengan a mi fiesta el fín de semana próximo.
Mother wishes that you (fam.) clean the bathroom.
-Ella espera que tú limpies el baño.
It is preferable that you all don’t swim in the ocean.
-Es preferible que Uds. no naden en el océano.
It is probable that she will arrive late to algebra class today.
-Es probable que ella llegue tarde a la clase de álgebra hoy.
8. I hope that I win the lottery tonight.
-Ojalá que yo gane la lotería esta noche.
9. I don’t believe that it will rain today.
-Yo no creo que llueva hoy.
10. I’m afraid that it will snow tomorrow.
-Yo tengo miedo que nieve mañana.
11. It is not certain that she will leave.
-No es cierto que ella salga. An
L. Ford
Production
2019

3. Subjunctive vs. Indicative
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Ejemplos: El Indicativo (Regular Present Tense)
He is taking the medicine with food.
-Él toma la medicina con comida.
2. She is going to the Dominican Republic next summer.
-Ella va a La República Dominicana el verano próximo.
Michael is going to the store today.
-Miguel va a la tienda hoy.
There is no doubt that she is coming to my party.
-No hay duda que ella viene a mi fiesta.
You (fam.) are cleaning the bathroom.
-Tú limpias el baño.
6. It is obvious that I am swimming in the Pacific Ocean.
-Es obvio que yo nado en el océano Pacífico. An
L. Ford
Production
2019

4. Subjunctive vs. Indicative
es posible que-it’s possible that
es preciso que- it’s necessary that
es preferible que-it’s preferable that
es probable que- it’s probable that
es raro que- it’s rare that
es ridículo que-it’s ridiculous that
estar contento que-to be happy that
es terrible que-it’s terrible that
hasta que- until
insistir en que-to insist that
mandar que- to order that
no creer que-to not believe that
no estar convecido de que- to not be convinced that
no estar seguro de que- to not be sure that
no es verdad que- it’s not true that
no parecer que- to not seem that
no pensar (e-ie) que- to not think that
ojalá que- to hope that
preferir (e-ie) que- to prefer that
prohibir que- to prohibit
recomendar (e-ie) que- to recommend that
sentir (e-ie) que- to regret that
sugerir (e-ie) que- to suggest that
temer que- (e-ie) to fear that
tener miedo de que- to be afraid that
necesitar que-to need to
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Palabras claves para el subjuntivo: (Key words for the Subjunctive):
a menos que- unless
con tal de que- provided that
conviene que/es aconsejable que- it is advisable that
dudar que- to doubt that
en caso de que- in case
es bueno que- it’s good that
es difícil que- it’s unlikely that
no es cierto que-it’s not certain that
8. es dudoso que-it’s doubtful that
9. es fácil que-it’s likely that
10. es importante que- it’s important that
11. es imposible que- it’s impossible that
12. es improbable que- it’s unlikely that
13. es incierto que- it’s uncertain that
14. es increíble que- it’s incredible that
15. es una lástima que- it’s a shame/pity that
16. es malo que- it’s bad that
17. es mejor que- it’s better that
18. es menester que-it’s necessary that
19. es necesario que- it’s necessary that
20. esperar que- to wish that
47. es importante que-it is important that
48. encantar que-to love that
49. es fantástico que-it’s fantastic that
50. me sorprende que-I’m surprised that An
L. Ford
Production
2019

5. Subjunctive vs. Indicative
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Palabras Claves para el indicativo:
(Key words for the Indicative):
creer que- to believe that
no (hay)dudar que- to (there is no) not doubt that
es cierto que- it is certain that
es claro que- it is clear that
es evidente que- it is certain/evident that
es obvio que- it is obvious that
estar seguro que- to be sure that
es verdad que- it’s true that
no cabe duda que- there’s no doubt that
no hay duda que- there’s no doubt that
no es dudoso que- it is not doubtful that
Ejemplos:
1. There is no doubt that he is tall and strong.
-No hay duda que él es alto y fuerte.
2. It is not doubtful that I am in Spanish class.
-No es dudoso que yo estoy en la clase de español. An
L. Ford
Production
2019

6. Subjunctive vs. Indicative
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How to form the Subjunctive
Start with the Yo form of the Present Indicative (a.k.a. Present tense)
Drop the –o ending.
SWITCH ENDINGS! -ar verbs will take the –er/-ir endings. -er/-ir verbs will take the –ar endings.
WATCH OUT FOR THE IRREGULAR YO FORM VERBS (VER ABAJO (SEE BELOW) Y PÁGINA 7)
STEM-CHANGES?- YES, BUT NOT IN THE NOSOTROS FORM! (THIS APPLIES TO –AR & -ER VERBS)
-Ir verbs can stem-change in ALL FORMS of the subjunctive; INCLUDING NOSOTROS! These verbs will take a “HALF” stem-change in the nosotros form, meaning o-ue verbs will change to o-u, e-ie verbs will change to e-i , e-i verbs will change to i.
**COMMON –IR VERBS THAT WILL STEM-CHANGE IN ALL FORMS: Dormir(se), Pedir, Sentir(se), Repetir, Decir, Medir, Reír(se), Sonreír(se), Servir, Vestir(se), Despedir(se), Morir(se).
*Reír and Sonreír will keep the accent mark in ALL forms in the Subjunctive, EVEN NOSOTROS*
COMMON VERBS WITH AN IRREGULAR YO FORM:
caber-to fit-yo quepo
caer-to fall-yo caigo
conducir-to drive/to conduct- yo conduzco
conocer-to know (pers./place)- yo conozco
*dar-to give-(*IRREGULAR. VER PÁGINA 7*)
escoger-to choose/to select-yo escojo
exigir-to demand-yo exijo
hacer-to do/to make-yo hago
oír-to hear-yo oigo (LOSES ACCENT IN
ALL FORMS)
19. venir- to come-yo vengo
20. ver-to see- yo veo
10. poner-to put/to place-yo pongo
11. recoger-to pick up (something)-yo recojo
12. *saber-to know a fact/info.-(*IRREGULAR. VER PÁGINA 7)
13. salir-to leave/to go out-yo salgo
14. seguir-to follow- yo sigo
15. tener-to have- yo tengo
16. traducir-to translate-yo traduzco
17. traer-to bring-yo traigo
18. valer- to be worth-yo valgo An
L. Ford
Production
2019

7. Subjunctive vs. Indicative
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Verbos Irregulares en el Subjuntivo:
dar-to give- dé,des,dé,demos,den
estar-to be- esté, estés, esté, estemos, estén
haber-to have (auxiliary verb)-haya,hayas,haya,hayamos,hayan
ir-to go-vaya,vayas,vaya,vayamos,vayan
saber-to know a fact/info-sepa,sepas,sepa,sepamos,sepan
ser-to be- sea, seas, sea, seamos, sean
Spell- Changing Verbs:
1. If the verb ends in –gar, it will spell-change to –gue in ALL forms of the subjunctive, including nosotros.
2. If the verb ends in –car, it will spell-change to –que in ALL forms of the subjunctive, including nosotros.
3. If the verb ends in –zar, it will spell-change to –ce in ALL forms of the subjunctive, including nosotros.
*NOTE: Some verbs will require a Stem-Change AND a spell change: (Ejemplos-empezar, comenzar, almorzar, llegar, y más)
EJEMPLOS:
It’s improbable that I will eat lunch in the cafeteria today
-Es improbable que yo almuerce en la cafetería hoy.
2. I suggest that you all start to study the new lesson.
-Yo sugiero que Uds. empiecen estudiar la lección nueva. An
L. Ford
Production
2019

8. Subjunctive vs. Indicative
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Subjunctive Endings:
-ar verbs:
yo-e
tú- es
*La tercera persona singular*:
él, ella, Ud.-e
nosotros-emos
*La tercera persona plural*:
ellos, ellas, Uds.-en
-er/-ir verbs:
yo-a
tú- as
*La tercera persona singular*:
él, ella, Ud.-a
nosotros-amos
*La tercera persona plural*:
ellos, ellas, Uds.-an
ANOTA:
Third person singular and Third person plural endings in the Subjunctive are the EXACT SAME! An
L. Ford
Production
2019