The Subjunctive with doubt, disbelief, and denial

The subjunctive with
doubt, disbelief, and denial

​Introduction of the WEIRDO acronym to remember all the phrases that trigger the subjunctive.

​The Acronym WEIRDO:

​is a tool to help you recall all the words and phrases that trigger the use of the subjunctive in the subordinate clause.

​We have used the subjunctive after expressions of:

​Wishes / desires / hopes

​Emotions

​Impersonal expressions

​Recommendations / will / influence

​Ojalá

​D

​AND

Now, we will be using the subjunctive with expressions of:

​W

​E

​I

​R

​O

​Doubt, Disbelief, and Denial

Multiple Choice

The O in the Acronym WEIRDO stands for

• original

• oír

• ojalá

• oiga

Multiple Choice

Ojalá translates to

• to wish

• I wish

• I recommend

• to desire

Multiple Choice

The W in the Acronym WEIRDO stands for

• whom

• wishes

• witches

• washes

Multiple Choice

The I in the Acronym WEIRDO stands for

• interpersonal communications

• impersonal expressions

• personal expressions

• impersonal suggestions

Multiple Choice

The E in the Acronym WEIRDO stands for

• Expectations

• Expressions

• Emotions

• Exagerations

Multiple Choice

The R in the Acronym WEIRDO stands for

• Recommendations

• Reasons

• Ratifications

• Ramifications

Multiple Choice

The D in the Acronym WEIRDO stands for

• Doughnuts

• Dreams

• Destinies

• Doubt

The subjunctive is ALWAYS USED in a subordinate clause when:

​Doubt, Disbelief, and Denial

1. ​there is a change of subject

2. the expression in the main clause implies NEGATION or UNCERTAINTY

​AND

​OR IN OTHER WORDS:

Multiple Choice

Negation or uncertainty would be the equivalent of:

• Recommendations

• Wishes and desires

• Doubt, disbelief, or denial

• Impersonal expressions

• Emotions

​Commone expressions of:
Doubt, Disbelief, and Denial

​WRITE THESE IN YOURN NOTES

​dudar	to doubt​
negar (e:ie)​	to deny​
no creer​	not to believe​
no estar seguro(a) (de)​	not to be sure (of)​
​no es cierto	​it's not true; it's not certain
​no es seguro	​it's not certain
no es verdad​	it's not true​

​Los estudiantes dudan que ellos saquen malas notas.
Students doubt they will get bad grades.

​Commone expressions of:
Doubt, Disbelief, and Denial

Add these Impersonal expressions to your notes:

​Es imposible	​it's impossible
Es improbable​	​it's improbable
​Es posible*; No es posible	​it's possible; it's not possible
​Es probable*; No es probable	​it's probable; it's not probable

​*In English: it's possible and it's probable have a high degree of certainty, but in Spanish they imply uncertainty, therefore triggers the subjunctive.

Match

Match the following

• dudar

• negar

• no creer

• no estar seguro/a

• no es cierto

to doubt

to deny

not to believe

not to be sure

it's not true; it's not certain

• to doubt

• to deny

• not to believe

• not to be sure

• it's not true; it's not certain

Match

Match the following

• es improbable

• no es posible

• es imposible

• no es verdad

• no es seguro

it's improbable

it's not possible

it's impossible

it's not true

it's not certain

• it's improbable

• it's not possible

• it's impossible

• it's not true

• it's not certain

​Please notice the following expressions:

​**THEY ARE THE OPPOSITE OF THE PREVIOUS LISTS YOU WROTE.

​no dudar	​not to doubt
no cabe duda​	there is no doubt​
no hay duda de​	there is no doubt​
no negar (e:ie)​	not to deny​
creer​	to believe​

​estar seguro/a de	​to be sure
es cierto	it's true; it's certain
es seguro	it's certain
es verdad	it's true
es obvio	it's obvious

​These are all expressions of CERTAINTY!

​The subjunctive follows expressions of DOUBT:

​No es verdad que mi hermano estudie ecología.
It's not true that my brother studies ecology.

​The indicative is used in the subordinate clause when there is no doubt or uncertainty in the main clause:

​Creo que mi hermano estudia ecología.
I believe my brother studies ecology.

​The expressions:
quizás (perhaps) and tal vez (maybe/perhaps) are usually followed by the subjunctive because they imply doubt about something:

Quizás haga sol mañana.
Perhaps it will be sunny tomorrow.
Tal vez veamos la luna esta noche.
Maybe we will see the moon tonight.

Multiple Choice

Read the following sentence, pay attention to the main clause, then decide whether the indicative or subjunctive is needed in the subordinate clause:

El gobierno niega que el agua (estar) contaminada.

• está

• esté

Multiple Choice

Read the following sentence, pay attention to the main clause, then decide whether the indicative or subjunctive is needed in the subordinate clause:

Quizas los estudiantes (llegar) tarde hoy.

• llegan

• lleguen

Multiple Choice

Read the following sentence, pay attention to the main clause, then decide whether the indicative or subjunctive is needed in the subordinate clause:

Es verdad que Colombia (ser) un país bonito.

• es

• sea

Multiple Choice

Read the following sentence, pay attention to the main clause, then decide whether the indicative or subjunctive is needed in the subordinate clause:

Es obvio que las ballenas (ser) grandísimas.

• son

• sean

Multiple Choice

Read the following sentence, pay attention to the main clause, then decide whether the indicative or subjunctive is needed in the subordinate clause:

Tal vez (ser) tú y yo en la cita.

• somos

• seamos

Multiple Choice

Read the following sentence, pay attention to the main clause, then decide whether the indicative or subjunctive is needed in the subordinate clause:

Dudo que (haber) muchas personas en la cafetería a las diez.

• hay

• haya