Subjunctive
The present subjunctive is used to discuss situations that are not real or are uncertain in the present or future. It is employed in subordinate clauses to express doubt, desire, emotion, or possibility. The conjugation of the present subjunctive differs from that of the present indicative.
Formation of the Present Subjunctive
The present subjunctive is formed from the stem of the verb in the first person singular of the present indicative, with the following endings:
- -ar verbs: -e, -es, -e, -emos, -éis, -en
- -er and -ir verbs: -a, -as, -a, -amos, -áis, -an
Uses of the Present Subjunctive
The present subjunctive is used in various situations to express doubt, desire, emotion, or hypothetical or uncertain actions.
1. Doubt or Uncertainty
The present subjunctive is used to express doubt or uncertainty about an action or state.
- Doubt or Uncertainty:
Dudo que él venga a la fiesta. (I doubt that he will come to the party.)
2. Desire or Hope
The present subjunctive is used to express desires or hopes.
- Desire or Hope:
Espero que tú estudies más para el examen. (I hope that you study more for the exam.)
3. Emotions
The present subjunctive is used to express emotions or subjective reactions.
- Emotions:
Me alegra que ellos jueguen juntos. (I am glad that they play together.)
4. Hypothetical Actions
The present subjunctive is used to express actions that are hypothetical or conditional.
- Hypothetical Actions:
Si yo fuera rico, viajaría por el mundo. (If I were rich, I would travel the world.)
Conjugation of the Present Subjunctive
The conjugation of the present subjunctive varies according to the grammatical person. Below are the conjugations for regular verbs.
Regular Verbs
Verbs ending in -ar
| Subject | Conjugation (Hablar) |
|---|---|
| Yo | Hable |
| Tú | Hables |
| Él/Ella/Usted | Hable |
| Nosotros/as | Hablemos |
| Vosotros/as | Habléis |
| Ellos/as/Ustedes | Hablen |
Verbs ending in -er
| Subject | Conjugation (Comer) |
|---|---|
| Yo | Coma |
| Tú | Comas |
| Él/Ella/Usted | Coma |
| Nosotros/as | Comamos |
| Vosotros/as | Comáis |
| Ellos/as/Ustedes | Coman |
Verbs ending in -ir
| Subject | Conjugation (Vivir) |
|---|---|
| Yo | Viva |
| Tú | Vivas |
| Él/Ella/Usted | Viva |
| Nosotros/as | Vivamos |
| Vosotros/as | Viváis |
| Ellos/as/Ustedes | Vivan |
Common Irregular Verbs
Some verbs have irregular conjugations in the present subjunctive. Here are some of the most common:
- Ser: Sea, Seas, Sea, Seamos, Seáis, Sean
- Ir: Vaya, Vayas, Vaya, Vayamos, Vayáis, Vayan
- Saber: Sepa, Sepas, Sepa, Sepamos, Sepáis, Sepan
- Tener: Tenga, Tengas, Tenga, Tengamos, Tengáis, Tengan
Common Phrases that Introduce the Present Subjunctive
There are many phrases and expressions that are typically followed by a verb in the present subjunctive. Some of the most common include:
| Pronoun | Ser | Ir | Saber | Tener | Dar | Estar | Hacer | Decir | Poner | Venir |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yo | sea | vaya | sepa | tenga | dé | esté | haga | diga | ponga | venga |
| Tú | seas | vayas | sepas | tengas | des | estés | hagas | digas | pongas | vengas |
| Él/Ella/Usted | sea | vaya | sepa | tenga | dé | esté | haga | diga | ponga | venga |
| Nosotros/as | seamos | vayamos | sepamos | tengamos | demos | estemos | hagamos | digamos | pongamos | vengamos |
| Vosotros/as | seáis | vayáis | sepáis | tengáis | deis | estéis | hagáis | digáis | pongáis | vengáis |
| Ellos/as/Ustedes | sean | vayan | sepan | tengan | den | estén | hagan | digan | pongan | vengan |
Summary
- Use the Present Subjunctive to express doubt, desire, emotion, or hypothetical or uncertain actions.
- The Present Subjunctive is formed from the stem of the verb in the first person singular of the present indicative.
- Consider the context and grammatical structure when using the present subjunctive to express your ideas in Spanish.