The use of the subjunctive in Spanish: A brief review
Clauses are groups of words which express an idea and contain a predicate (i.e., a conjugated verb) and a subject, although of course in Spanish the subject is often merely indicated by the verb ending. They can be divided into two categories: independent clauses (which make sense in and of themselves) and dependent clauses (which need to be used with an independent clause to form a complete sentence). In general, the the indicative, the conditional, and the imperative (command forms) are used in independent clauses; some exceptions will be given in section I below. The subjunctive mood is found primarily in dependent clauses, but of course the other moods can occur there as well, depending on the type of clause, the action/state involved, and its relationship to other elements in the sentences such as the governing verb.
(Yo) quisiera pedirte un favor. I'd like to ask you a favor. Debieras practicar un poco más. You should practice a little more. ¿Pudieran Uds. darme otros ejemplos? Could you give me some other examples?
Quizás participamos en la fiesta. Perhaps we'll take part in the festival. [Indic.: probable] Quizás participemos en la fiesta. Perhaps we'll take part in the festival. [Subj.: doubtful]
Tú: Habla más despacio. Talk slower. [Not based on the subj.] No hables tan rápidamente. Don't talk so fast. [Subj.] Usted(es): Díga(n)me la verdad. Tell me the truth. [Subj.] No me diga(n) mentiras. Don't tell me lies. [Subj.] Vosotros: Comed con nostros. Eat with us. [Not based on the subj.] No comáis los huevos revueltos. Don't eat the scrambled eggs. [Subj.] Nosotros: Bailemos. Let's dance. [Subj.] No bailemos a esa música. Let's not dance to that music. [Subj.] Vamos al parque. Let's go to the park. [Exception, not based on the subj.] No vayamos al cine. Let's not go the movies. [Subj.]
Yo creo que Juana viene mañana. I think Juana is coming tomorrow. [Indic.: verb of affirmation] Preferimos que nos acompañes. We prefer that you accompany us. [Subj.: verb of influence] Dudo que Miguel llegue a tiempo. I doubt that Miguel will arrive on time. [Subj .: verb of doubt] Es una lástima que se hayan perdido. It's a shame that they got lost. [Subj.: impersonal expression of emotion]
Adverbial clauses are introduced by adverbial conjunctions, some of which by their very nature always indicate something anticipatory and hence always take the subjunctive: antes de que (before), para que (so that), a fin de que (so that), sin que (without), a menos que (unless), and con tal de que (provided that).
Some of the more frequent adverbial conjunctions which may take either the indicative or the subjunctive: cuando (when), hasta que (until), después de que (after), tan pronto como (as soon as), mientras (while).
Cada domingo después que desayunamos, la familia asiste a servicios religiosos. Every Sunday after we eat breakfast, the family attends religious services. [Indic.: habitual action] Cuando termines la tarea iremos al cine. When you finish the homework, we'll go the movies. [Subj.: anticipated action]
Buscamos al criado que se llama Raúl. We're looking for the servant who's named Raúl. [Indic.: definite antecedent] Buscamos una criada que hable español. We're looking for a servant who speaks [=might speak] Spanish. [Subj.: indefinite antecedent] No necesito ningún amigo que me insulte así. I don't need any friend who insults me like that. [Subj.: negated antecedent]
Ella trabaja como si no hubiera otro día mañana. She works as if there weren't any tomorrow. [Imperf subj.: present/future time] Ella hablaba como si nadie la hubiera visto. She talked as if no one had seen her. [Past perfect subj.: prior time]
Si ganas más dinero, iremos a Bogotá. If you earn more money, we'll go to Bogota. [Indic.: real condition in present or future time] Si ganaras más dinero, iríamos a Bogotá. If you earned more money, we would go to Bogota. [Imperfect subj. & cond.: unreal condition in present or future time] Si hubieras ganado más dinero, habríamos ido a Bogotá. If you had earned more money, we would have gone to Bogota. [Past perfect subj. & cond. perfect: unreal condition in past time]
Note the tip-offs in English for unreal conditions in the above examples: the use of would or would have and the use of a past tense for a present/future time activity.
Dudo que vengan. I doubt that they are coming/will come. [The subjunctive is required after a verb of doubt; the governing verb is in the present tense. The present subjunctive is used for a simultaneous or future event.] Dudo que hayan venido. I doubt that they came/have come. [The subjunctive is required after a verb of doubt; the governing verb is in the present tense. The present perfect subjunctive is used for a previous event.]
Dudaba que vinieran. I doubted that they were coming/would come. [The subjunctive is required after a verb of doubt; the governing verb is in a past tense. The imperfect subjunctive is used for a simultaneous or future event.] Dudaba que hubieran venido. I doubted that they had come. [The subjunctive is required after a verb of doubt; the governing verb is in a past tense. The past perfect subjunctive is used for a previous event.]
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