B2 · The subjunctive · about 4 minutes
Indicative or subjunctive?
One question settles it: is the clause being asserted?
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“New to me”: the explanation first, then practice. “Test myself”: 2 short questions – get at least two right and you go straight to the harder exercises.
Words you will need2
They appear in this topic’s examples and exercises and are new at this point on the learning path.
- evidenteobvious
- el control de acceso lógicothe control over who may open what
Understand
RememberDoes the main clause assert the subordinate one? Yes means indicative, no means subjunctive.
- Signal words
- sé que
- quiero que
- es verdad que
- es raro que
- en cuanto
The form
How the forms are built
Each row gives the meaning first, then the form in Spanish. The colours show what changes from one form to the next.
stem (irregular) tense marker person ending
| knowing | Sé que viene. |
| wanting | Quiero que venga. |
| stating | Es verdad que viene. |
| judging | Es raro que venga. |
| past | Cuando llegó, cenamos. |
| still to come | Cuando llegue, cenamos. |
| that I come | (yo) venga |
| that you come (tú) | (tú) vengas |
| that he, she comes / you (usted) come | (él, ella, usted) venga |
| that we come | (nosotros) vengamos |
| that you come (vosotros) | (vosotros) vengáis |
| that they / you (ustedes) come | (ellos, ellas, ustedes) vengan |
The rules one by one
The form this topic is aboutThe word that calls for it
If the clause is asserted, the indicative.
Está claro que no funciona.It is clear that it does not work.
If it is wished, judged or doubted, the subjunctive.
Es mejor que no vengas hoy.You had better not come today.
If it points at something still to come, the subjunctive.
Te aviso en cuanto sepa algo.I will let you know as soon as I hear anything.
After si in the present and after decir que the indicative stands anyway.
Dice que si puede, viene.He says that if he can, he will come.
Example sentences
Creo que tiene razón.I think he is right.
No creo que tenga razón.I do not think he is right.
Es evidente que está cansado.It is obvious that he is tired.
7 more example sentences
Es lógico que esté cansado.It stands to reason that he is tired.
Supongo que vendrá.I assume he will come.
Puede que no venga.He may not come.
Está claro que hay un problema.It is clear that there is a problem.
Me parece bien que lo hagas tú.I am happy for you to do it.
Sabía que no era verdad.I knew it was not true.
No parecía que fuera grave.It did not look serious.
The trap English speakers fall into
Watch out
The mood gets chosen by feel — anything that sounds uncertain gets a subjunctive: Es evidente que esté cansado. Es evidente is an assertion, so it is the indicative: que está cansado. Only the negative tips it over: No es evidente que esté cansado.
Quick check
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Practise
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The full explanation
Read it all · about 1 min
Every separate rule comes back to one question. Does the sentence assert that the subordinate clause is true? Then the indicative. Does it not — because it wishes, judges, doubts or points at something still to come — then the subjunctive.
Everything else follows. Sé que vieneassertsquiero que vengadoes not Es verdad que vieneassertses una pena que vengajudges Cuando llegóassertscuando llegueis still ahead
Two places contradict the rule and have to be learnt as exceptions: after si the present is indicative even though nothing is being asserted, and after decir que the indicative stands even though somebody else's words are being reported. That second one is worth flagging, because English grammar books talk about «reported speech» and a subjunctive in the same breath, and in Spanish the two have nothing to do with each other.
The verbs on this page, in every form: ser · estar · venir · tener · poder · decir · saber · funcionar