This bonus lesson is tailored for B1 level students who are ready to deepen their understanding of the Spanish language by exploring the present subjunctive. As an important grammatical aspect used to express desires, doubts, and possibilities, mastering the present subjunctive will significantly enhance your daily conversations.
In this lesson, you’ll learn how to form the present subjunctive, understand its uses, and tackle its irregular forms. We’ll also see how the Familia García effectively uses this tense in their everyday interactions, providing you with practical examples to mimic and learn from. This content is ideal for students who have a good grasp of basic verb forms and are looking to advance their communication skills.
Notice: You should start learning the present subjunctive after you have already learned the previous verb forms and you are ready to use them in your daily conversations.
Objectives:
- Master the formation of the present subjunctive in Spanish.
- Understand when and why to use the present subjunctive in everyday communication.
- Learn about irregular forms of the present subjunctive and how to conjugate them.
- Observe how the Familia García incorporates the subjunctive into their daily life, providing real-life context and examples.
The present subjunctive in a nutshell
The present subjunctive in Spanish is used in various situations where there is a sense of uncertainty, desire, emotion, or possibility. It often appears in complex sentences where the main clause expresses a wish, hope, doubt, or necessity, and is followed by a subordinate clause introduced by “que” (that).
For example, the subjunctive is used when expressing wishes or desires:
“Quiero que tú vengas” – I want you to come.
The subjunctive is also used when giving advice or suggestions:
“Sugiero que tú estudies” – I suggest that you study.
It is used when making requests or demands:
“Necesito que tú hagas esto” – I need you to do this.
The subjunctive is used when indicating doubt or uncertainty:
“No creo que ella venga” – I don’t think she will come.
Finally, the subjunctive is used when expressing emotions or feelings:
“Me alegra que tú estés aquí” – I’m glad that you’re here.
How Regular Verbs Are Constructed
To form the present subjunctive for regular verbs, follow these steps:
- Start with the first person singular “yo” form of the present indicative.
- Remove the “o” ending.
- Add the appropriate subjunctive endings.
-AR Verbs:
| Pronoun | Ending | Example: “Hablar” (to speak) |
|---|---|---|
| yo | -e | hable |
| tú | -es | hables |
| él/ella/usted | -e | hable |
| nosotros/nosotras | -emos | hablemos |
| vosotros/vosotras | -éis | habléis |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | -en | hablen |
-ER Verbs:
| Pronoun | Ending | Example: “Comer” (to eat) |
|---|---|---|
| yo | -a | coma |
| tú | -as | comas |
| él/ella/usted | -a | coma |
| nosotros/nosotras | -amos | comamos |
| vosotros/vosotras | -áis | comáis |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | -an | coman |
-IR Verbs:
| Pronoun | Ending | Example: “Vivir” (to live) |
|---|---|---|
| yo | -a | viva |
| tú | -as | vivas |
| él/ella/usted | -a | viva |
| nosotros/nosotras | -amos | vivamos |
| vosotros/vosotras | -áis | viváis |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | -an | vivan |
Irregular Subjunctive Forms
| Verb | yo | tú | él/ella/usted | nosotros/nosotras | vosotros/vosotras | ellos/ellas/ustedes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ser | sea | seas | sea | seamos | seáis | sean |
| Estar | esté | estés | esté | estemos | estéis | estén |
| Ir | vaya | vayas | vaya | vayamos | vayáis | vayan |
| Haber | haya | hayas | haya | hayamos | hayáis | hayan |
| Saber | sepa | sepas | sepa | sepamos | sepáis | sepan |
| Dar | dé | des | dé | demos | deis | den |
Dialog: The García Family
| Spanish Dialogue | English Translation |
|---|---|
| Antonio: Quiero que vayamos a la playa este fin de semana. | Antonio: I want us to go to the beach this weekend. |
| Penélope: Espero que el tiempo sea bueno. | Penélope: I hope the weather is good. |
| Lucía: Mami, deseo que me compres un helado. | Lucía: Mom, I wish you would buy me an ice cream. |
| Juan: Sugerimos que todos lleven sombrero y protector solar. | Juan: We suggest that everyone wears a hat and sunscreen. |
| Abuela Rosa: Es mejor que llevéis algo de comida también. | Abuela Rosa: It’s better that you all take some food as well. |
| Abuelo Miguel: Necesito que todos estén listos antes del mediodía. | Abuelo Miguel: I need everyone to be ready before noon. |