A Quick Guide to the Spanish Subjunctive
Learn when to use the Spanish subjunctive, with examples of wishes, emotions, recommendations, and future time clauses.
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First Things First…A few basic things to remember about the Spanish SubjunctiveThe different ways we can use the subjunctive.W- WishesE- EmotionsI- Impersonal ExpressionsR- RecommendationsD- DoubtsO- OjaláOne last thing…In conclusion…For most language learners, the mere mention of “Spanish subjunctive” is enough to instill fear.
It’s something especially troublesome for English speakers, because while we do have a subjunctive in English, it’s nowhere near as frequent or apparently complicated as it is in Spanish. I bet you didn’t even know we had one!
Well, don’t worry. Hopefully after reading this quick guide to the most hated aspect of Spanish grammar, you’ll feel more confident and ready to make it a part of your regular speech.
First Things First…
In order to become more comfortable with the Spanish subjunctive, you have to change your way of thinking about it. It’s not really a tense–it’s a mood.
Tense helps locate an event in time. Mood shows how a clause is presented within a particular construction. Spanish uses the subjunctive for wishes, doubts, recommendations, emotional reactions, and other contexts. It does not always signal uncertainty: Me alegro de que estés aquí (I’m glad you’re here) can refer to a known fact.
A few basic things to remember about the Spanish Subjunctive
Many common patterns have a main clause followed by que and a clause in the subjunctive: Quiero que vengas (I want you to come). With wishes, the two clauses often have different subjects. When the subject stays the same, an infinitive is usually used: Quiero ir (I want to go).
Two subjects and two verbs are not requirements for the subjunctive. A single clause can contain it: Ojalá llueva (I hope it rains). Learn the expressions and constructions that call for each mood.
The different ways we can use the subjunctive.
The most common uses of the subjunctive can be broken down into a few simple categories. One easy way to remember them is with the acronym WEIRDO. (And hey, the subjunctive is pretty weird, so that shouldn’t be hard to remember!)
W- Wishes
Verbs of wishing and wanting commonly take the subjunctive in a following que-clause when the subjects differ.
For example- I hope that he can come to the party- Espero que pueda venir a la fiesta. OR He wants me to go to the party- Quiere que vaya a la fiesta.
(Note the use of two different subjects!! With just one it would be: Espero poder ir a la fiesta– I hope I can go to the party.)
Other verbs/ phrases:
- Necesitar- To need
- Preferir- To prefer
- Pedir- To request
- Insistir- To insist
E- Emotions
Expressions of emotion commonly take the subjunctive in a following que-clause. The event can be a known fact; the subjunctive presents it as the object of an emotional reaction.
For example- It annoys me that he talks a lot- Me molesta que hable mucho.
Other verbs/phrases
- Gustar*- To be pleasing to
- Enfadarse**- To become angry
- Encantar* — To delight or please very much. Me encanta leer means “I love reading.” It can also refer to people: Me encantas means “I really like you” or “You delight me,” depending on context.
- Molestar*- To be annoying to
- Alegrarse**- To be/ become happy
*With gustar and similar verbs, the thing or situation that pleases someone is the grammatical subject. In Me gusta que hable despacio (I like it when he speaks slowly), the clause que hable despacio is the subject; me is an indirect object indicating who experiences the feeling.
**Enfadarse and alegrarse are pronominal verbs: they use a pronoun that matches the subject. This does not necessarily describe an action done to oneself. Me alegro de que vayas con nosotros means “I’m glad you’re going with us.”
I- Impersonal Expressions
If something is subjective- i.e. your opinion- but you want to state it in an impersonal way, you would use one of the following expressions followed by the subjunctive.
Example- It’s strange that he’s late. Es raro que llegue tarde.
Other verbs/ phrases
- Es necesario que- it’s necessary
- Es malo que- It’s bad
- Es interesante que- It’s interesting
- Es bueno que- It’s good
R- Recommendations
Verbs of recommendation or suggestion commonly take the subjunctive in a following que-clause. Other constructions are also possible, such as a direct command or an infinitive.
Example: I suggest that you study regularly. Sugiero que estudies con frecuencia.
Other verbs/ phrases
- Recomendar- To recommend
- Aconsejar — To advise
- Ordenar- To order
- Proponer- To propose
D- Doubts
Expressions such as dudo que (I doubt that) and no creo que (I don’t think that) commonly take the subjunctive. Uncertainty alone is not a universal rule: some expressions of possibility, such as a lo mejor, take the indicative.
Example: I don’t think he’s telling the truth No creo que diga la verdad.
Other verbs/ phrases
- Dudar- To doubt
- No estar seguro- To not be sure
- Suponer — To assume. This is not a general subjunctive trigger: Supongo que viene uses the indicative.
- Pensar — To think. Compare Pienso que viene (indicative) with No pienso que venga (subjunctive).
O- Ojalá
Ojalá expresses a wish, often translated as “I hope” or “if only.” The RAE dictionary traces it to an Arabic expression meaning “and God has willed.” In modern Spanish, it does not necessarily express a religious belief.
Example: I hope to God/ really hope I can go to the party- Ojalá pueda ir a la fiesta.
Both Ojalá pueda ir and Ojalá que pueda ir are grammatical. The que after ojalá is optional. Compare Espero que pueda ir, where que connects the two clauses.
In a two-clause construction, the same verb can appear in both clauses. The main verb expresses the wish, and the subordinate verb takes the subjunctive. This is a common pattern, not a requirement for every subjunctive sentence.
You know that famous song “I want you to want me… “? Well, right there, you’re expressing a wish or desire, you have two subjects, and you have two verbs even though they are both “want.” So, the song would go “Quiero que me quieras…” with the second “want” conjugated to the subjunctive.
One last thing…
Another common use is in time clauses referring to a future event that has not happened yet: cuando means “when,” and en cuanto means “as soon as.” These clauses take the subjunctive for future reference, even when the speaker expects the event to happen.
For example: When I know, I will tell you- Cuando/ En cuanto sepa, te lo diré.
But, what’s the difference between the two sentences below:
Cuando llego a casa, como la merienda. (When I get home, I eat a snack.)
Cuando llegue a casa, voy a comer la merienda. (When I get home, I am going to eat a snack.)
The first sentence describes a habitual action: “When I get home, I eat a snack.” The indicative presents it as a routine.
The second sentence refers to a future occasion: “When I get home, I’m going to eat a snack.” It uses the subjunctive because the time clause refers to an event that has not happened yet. The event need not be unusual or doubtful.
In conclusion…
Learning the subjunctive can be very frustrating at times. But, if you change your way of thinking about it, you may find that it’s not all that bad! Remember, it’s just a way of adding a different “feeling” to what you’re saying.
Learn the constructions that call for the subjunctive rather than deciding solely whether a statement is uncertain. Wishes, emotional reactions, recommendations, and future time clauses are useful starting points, but the indicative/subjunctive choice depends on the expression and its meaning.
So, next time you find yourself getting flustered when trying to use this most hated part of Spanish grammar, just remember–the subjunctive is WEIRD(O)!
More articles like this:
The Imperative Voice in Spanish
The Ultimate Guide to Spanish Future Tense
