Using the subjunctive in context

Using the subjunctive in context

By Angie Acosta

Let's review

Last lesson we learned:

-​What is the subjunctive?

- When do we use the subjunctive?

-How do we form the subjunctive?​

Multiple Choice

What is the subjunctive?

• It is a verb tense that tells if something will happen in the future

• It is a mood that we use to express things that are uncertain, ambiguous or abstract

• I have no idea.

Multiple Choice

What acronym do we use to remember what conditions evoke the subjunctive?

• WEIRDO

• VIN DIESEL

• DOCTOR & PLACE

Multiple Select

Which of the following are WEIRDO conditions?

• Wishes/desires

• Impersonal expressions

• Doubt/denial

• Recommendations

• Location

Multiple Choice

What is true when using the subjunctive?

• There are 2 subjects

• One of the WEIRDO conditions must be met

• Both of these

Multiple Choice

True or False? Sometimes we have to reword a sentence in English to make it sound like how we would say it in Spanish using the subjunctive.

E.g. I need that you go to the store vs. I need you to go to the store.

• True

• False

See if you can identify the WEIRDO condition...

Multiple Choice

Quiero que bailes conmigo

• W- wishes/Desires
• E- Emotions
• I- Impersonal expressions
• R- Recommendations
• D- Doubt/Denial

Multiple Choice

Estoy feliz de que estés aquí

• E- Emotions
• Not Subjunctive
• I- Impersonal expressions
• R- Recommendations
• D- Doubt/Denial

Multiple Choice

Es necesario que hagas las tareas

• I- Impersonal expressions
• E- Emotions
• Not Subjunctive
• R- Recommendations
• D- Doubt/Denial

Multiple Choice

Recomiendo que hagas ejercicio

• R- Recommendations
• E- Emotions
• I- Impersonal expressions
• W- wishes/Desires
• D- Doubt/Denial

Multiple Choice

No creo que sea dificil

• D- Doubt/Denial
• E- Emotions
• I- Impersonal expressions
• R- Recommendations
• Not Subjunctive

Multiple Choice

Ojalá que te haya gustado el video

• O- ojalá

• E- Emotions

• W- wishes/Desires

• R- Recommendations

• D- Doubt/Denial

Let's talk about the parts of a subjunctive sentence.

What are the requirements of a subjunctive sentence?

There are 2 clauses

They are joined by "que" meaning "that"

The first is indicative and the second is subjunctive​

Indicative + que + Subjunctive

Let's see how that works with WEIRDO. We will learn some key phrases in Spanish that will trigger the subjunctive for each of these conditions.

​Wishes/Desires

​Spanish	​English	​Example
​querer que..	​to want that...	Quiero que bailes conmigo
​esperar que...	​to hope/wait that...	Espero que te guste mi video
preferir que...	to prefer that...	Prefiero que hagamos ejercicio

Emotions

​Spanish	​English	​Example
Estar feliz de que...	to be happy that...	Estoy feliz de que estés aquí
Estar triste de que...	to be sad that...	Estoy triste de que no estés aquí
Gustar que...	to like that...	Me gusta que mi equipo gane
Encantar que...	to love that...	Te encanta que tu equipo gane

Impersonal Expressions

​Spanish	​English	​Example
Es fácil que...	It's easy that...	Es fácil que digas eso
Es necesario que...	It's necessary that...	Es necesario que hagas las tareas
Es importante que...	It's important that...	Es importante que practiques tu deporte
Es bueno que...	It's good that...	Es bueno que comas vegetales
Es mejor que...	It's better that...	Es mejor que lo hagas así

Recommendations/Requests

​Spanish	English	​Example
Recomendar que...	To recommend that...	Recomiendo que veas esa película
Necesitar que...	To need that...	Necesito que escuches
Pedir que...	To request that...	Pido que me hagas un favor

Doubt/Denial

​Spanish	​English	​Example
No creer que...	to not believe that...	No creo que sea dificil
No pensar que...	to not think that...	No pienso que vayamos a la fiesta
No es verdad que...	It's not true that...	No es verdad que no puedas hablar español
Dudar que...	to doubt that...	Dudo que eso sea verdad

Ojalá

​Spanish	English	​Example
Ojalá (que)...	God-willing, Hopefully	Ojalá que no llueva hoy

4 more notes about Ojalá

1. "Ojalá" is a very common term in Spanish, much more so than "God-willing" in English. That's why perhaps it translates more colloquially to "hopefully"

2. With ojalá, we are considering that God is the subject in the first part of the sentence so Ojalá combined with the following clause makes 2 clauses.

3. The "que" is going to be optional. Sometimes you'll see it and sometimes not. It still has the same meaning and follows the same subjunctive rules.

4. Ojalá" can also just be used all by itself as a response. For example.

   1. Ojalá ganemos. ​

   2. Sí, ojalá.

Quiero que practiquen

Multiple Choice

Espero que vengas conmigo

• I need that you come with me

• I hope that you come with me

• I want that you come with me

Multiple Choice

Pido que me hagas un favor

• I need that you do me a favor

• I prefer that you do me a favor

• I request that you do me a favor

Multiple Choice

Es mejor que estudies ahora

• It's better that you study now

• It's important that you study now

• It's good that you study now

Subjunctive vs. Infinitive phrases

Hopefully many of these subjunctive phrases are already familiar to you because we have used them before!

​

Just because you are learning how to use these expressions with the subjunctive, don't forget that you already know how to use these expressions as infinitives phrases.

Remember we already know how to use expressions such as the ones in this lesson, except for 2 key differences.

Infinitive Verb Phrases

What's different about these examples than what we have learned with the subjunctive?

​Spanish	​English
​Espero ir	​I hope to go
​Quiero bailar	​I want to dance
Me gusta comer​	​I like to eat
Es bueno estudiar​	​It's good to study

Hopefully you can see that there is only 1 subject and there is not a "that" or "que" joining 2 clauses

Only 1 subject & 1 clause

​Spanish	​English
​Espero ir	​I hope to go
​Quiero bailar	​I want to dance
Me gusta comer​	​I like to eat
Es bueno estudiar​	​It's good to study

Ahora quiero que decidan si estos ejemplos son subjuntivos o no.

Multiple Choice

Quiero bailar contigo

• Uses subjunctive/has 2 subjects
• Uses infinitive/has 1 subject

Multiple Choice

Espero que te guste mi video

• Uses subjunctive/has 2 subjects
• Uses infinitive/has 1 subject

Multiple Choice

Estoy feliz que estés aquí

• Uses subjunctive/has 2 subjects
• Uses infinitive/has 1 subject

Multiple Choice

Es necesario que hagas las tareas

• Uses subjunctive/has 2 subjects
• Uses infinitive/has 1 subject

Multiple Choice

Es importante practicar tu deporte

• Uses subjunctive/has 2 subjects
• Uses infinitive/has 1 subject

Multiple Choice

Necesito hacer mi Duolingo

• Uses subjunctive/has 2 subjects
• Uses infinitive/has 1 subject

Multiple Choice

Recomiendo que hagas ejercicio

• Uses subjunctive/has 2 subjects
• Uses infinitive/has 1 subject

Multiple Choice

Necesito que escuches

• Uses subjunctive/has 2 subjects
• Uses infinitive/has 1 subject

Multiple Choice

No es verdad que no puedas hablar español

• Uses subjunctive/has 2 subjects
• Uses infinitive/has 1 subject

So now you know to look for 2 subjects/clauses joined by "that" + WEIRDO condition. But pay attention because in English we don't always use "that". Sometimes is optional and sometimes it just plain sounds odd. In Spanish, the "que" always necessary (except for Ojalá).

​

Let's look at some examples...​

When re-wording is needed

​English (as we normally say it)	​How you would have to say it in Spanish
​She likes me to sing.	​She likes that I sing
​He wants her to go to the store	​He wants that she goes to the store
​We need you to study	​We need that you study
​I recommend you dance	​I recommend that you dance
​They prefer she doesn't say anything	​They prefer that she doesn't say anything
​I hope you are happy	​I hope that you are happy

Multiple Select

Decide which of these statements would require the subjunctive (and would possibly need rewording)

• I like you being here

• She likes to dance

• He likes her

• We like them to play well

Multiple Select

Decide which of these statements would require the subjunctive (and would possibly need rewording)

• I need you to go to the store

• I need a pencil

• She needs you to stop calling

• He needs you to pick him up

Multiple Select

Decide which of these statements would require the subjunctive (and would possibly need rewording)

• I recommend this book

• I recommend we sing

• She recommends we leave now

• The teacher recommends this assignment

Multiple Select

Decide which of these statements would require the subjunctive (and would possibly need rewording)

• I want to go now

• I want you to go now

• She wants to go to the store with you

• The boy wants to run

Almost done...

I have to tell you about 2 infinitive verb phrases that use "que" and that might confuse you as you start to work on the subjunctive...

​

Do you know what they are?​

What do these mean?

Hay que

​

Tener que​

Multiple Choice

Hay que....

• There is....

• One must...

• I have no idea.

Multiple Choice

Tener que....

• to have to....

• to have...

• I have no idea.

Did you get them right?

Hay que... One must...

​

Tener que...​ To have to...

​

What must these be followed by?

Multiple Choice

What must "hay que" and "tener que" be followed by?

• Subjucntive

• An infinitive

• A conjugated verb

I know you are familiar with "tener que" so don't let the subjunctive get in the way of that.

"Hay que" could mean the same as "tener que", perhaps just a little less specific... more generally speaking.

¡Practiquemos más!

Multiple Choice

Recomiendo que...

• duerman temprano
• duermen temprano
• dormir temprano

Multiple Choice

Es bueno...

• caminar
• camina
• camine

Multiple Choice

Me gusta...

• jugar videojuegos
• juega videojuegos
• juegue videojuegos

Multiple Choice

Quiero que...

• camine a mi casa
• camina a mi casa
• caminar a mi casa

Multiple Choice

Tengo que...

• cocinar
• cocino
• cocines

Multiple Choice

Es necesario que...

• vayas a la escuela
• vas a la escuela
• ir a la escuela

Multiple Choice

Ojalá que...

• no llueva hoy
• no llueve hoy
• no llover hoy

Multiple Choice

Hay que...

• estudiar para el examen
• estudia para el examen
• estudie para el examen