EXPLORING THE PRESENT SUBJUNCTIVE

The Present Subjunctive

COME WITH ME ON A JOURNEY THROUGH TIME AND SPACE...TO AN ALTERNATE REALITY WHERE THE IMPOSSIBLE AND IMPROBABLE BELONG!

THE SUBJUNCTIVE IS NOT A TENSE

​TENSE = TIME. THE SUBJUNCTIVE IS A MOOD.

You can use the subjunctive in different tenses. It is NOT used to express a time frame. It is used to communicate a mood, a sense f uncertainty or desire or hopefulness.

STEP ONE - TAKE THE 'I' FORM OF THE PRESENT TENSE & KNOCK OFF THE 'O'​

STEP TWO - USE THE PRESENT TENSE ENDINGS FOR THE 'OPPOSITE' KIND OF VERB - SO '-AR' VERBS WOULD USE '-ER' VERB ENDINGS & VICE VERSA.

THE ENDINGS ARE VERY STRAIGHTFORWARD

WE USE IT TO EXPRESS:
- WISHES
- EMOTIONS
- IMPERSONAL OPINIONS
- RECOMMENDATIONS
- DOUBT OR DENIAL
- 'OJALÁ' (GOD WILLING, HOPEFULLY)

​

​BUT WHEN DO WE USE IT?

...BUT ONLY IF THERE IS A CHANGE OF SUBJECT!

​LOOK AT THESE EXAMPLES

QUIERO IR A LA UNIVERSIDAD = I WANT TO GO TO UNIVERSITY

QUIERO QUE VAYAS A LA UNIVERSIDAD = I WANT YOU TO GO TO UNIVERSITY

Multiple Choice

WHICH OF THESE PRESENT TENSE VERBS IS CLEARLY IN THE SUBJUNCTIVE MOOD?

• HABLO

• HABLAS

• HABLE

• HABLAN

Multiple Choice

...AND WHICH OF THESE IS OBVIOUSLY IN THE SUBJUNCTIVE MOOD?

• VIVO

• VIVIMOS

• VIVE

• VIVAMOS

• HABLO > HABLE

REMEMBER - TO FORM THE PRESENT SUBJUNCTIVE, WE TAKE THE FIRST PERSON SINGULAR OF THE PRESENT TENSE AND KNOCK OFF THE '-O' BEFORE CHANGING THE ENDING.  

Multiple Choice

WHICH OF THESE VERBS IS IN THE SUBJUNCTIVE MOOD?

• TENGA

• TENGO

• TIENE

• TIENA

Multiple Choice

...AND WHICH OF THESE IS THE CORRECT 'I FORM OF THE VERB 'SALIR' IN THE PRESENT SUBJUNCTIVE MOOD?

• SALO

• SALGO

• SALA

• SALGA

Multiple Choice

....AND WHICH OF THESE IS THE CORRECT 'WE' FORM OF THE PRESENT SUBJUNCTIVE OF THE VERB 'HACER'?

• HACAMOS

• HAGAMOS

• HACEMOS

• HACERAMOS

SUBJUNCTIVE TRIGGERS

​LOOK OUT FOR THE 'QUE' WHICH HELPS TO INDICATE A CHANGE OF SUBJECT.

QUERER QUE - TO WANT SOMEONE OR SOMETHING ELSE TO DO SOMETHING
ESPERAR QUE - TO HOPE THAT SOMEONE OR SOMETHING ELSE DOES SOMETHING
OJALÁ = "GOD WILLING" (OR 'HOPEFULLY') SOMETHING WILL HAPPEN OR SOMEONE WILL DO SOMETHING