Understanding the Subjunctive in Spanish

Introduction

• Subjunctive mood is a crucial part of learning Spanish.
• Today’s focus: understanding the subjunctive in English.
• Key topics:
  • Differences between indicative and subjunctive.
  • Elements in a subjunctive sentence.
  • Conjugating verbs in the present subjunctive.

Difference Between Mood and Verb Tense

• Mood: Reflects the speaker's attitude towards a statement.
• Tenses: Indicate when the action takes place (present, past, future).
• Spanish has three moods:
  • Indicative
  • Imperative
  • Subjunctive

Indicative vs. Subjunctive

• Indicative:
  • Used for objective facts (present, past, future).
  • Represents certainty (facts, descriptions, scheduled events).
• Subjunctive:
  • Used for subjective statements (possibilities, uncertainties).
  • Includes doubts, wishes, recommendations, opinions.

Example Sentences

• Indicative: "Alfonso estudia español."
  • Seen as a factual statement.
• Subjunctive: "Es posible que Alfonso estudie español."
  • Represents a possibility, not certainty.
• Indicative with Certainty: "Estoy segura que Alfonso estudia español."
• Subjunctive with Doubt: "Dudo que Alfonso estudie español."

Elements of a Subjunctive Sentence

1. Two Subjects:
   • Main clause subject and secondary clause subject.
   • The main clause’s subject attitude triggers the subjunctive.
2. Relative Pronoun:
   • Most commonly "que" to join clauses.
   • Spanish sentences cannot have two conjugated verbs together.
3. Two Verbs:
   • Main clause verb in indicative.
   • Secondary clause verb in subjunctive.

Using the Acronym "WEIRDO"

• Wishes, Emotions, Impersonal expressions, Recommendations, Doubts, and Our own magic word.
• WEIRDO verbs trigger the subjunctive mood.

Conjugating the Subjunctive

1. Conjugate the verb in "yo" form of the present indicative.
2. Drop the final "o".
3. Add appropriate endings:
   • AR verbs: e, es, e, emos, éis, en.
   • ER/IR verbs: a, as, a, amos, áis, an.

Examples

• Cocinar:
  • Yo form: cocino → cocine.
• Poner:
  • Yo form: pongo → pongas.
• Hacer:
  • Yo form: hago → hagan.
• Pedir:
  • Yo form: pido → pida.
• Conducir:
  • Yo form: conduzco → conduzcas.

Common Expressions

• E.g., "Que tengas un buen día" uses subjunctive due to wish/uncertainty.

Irregular Verbs in the Subjunctive

• Only six: dar, estar, ir, saber, ser, haber.
• These form the acronym "DISHES" to remember them.

Conclusion

• Goal: Understand the difference between indicative and subjunctive.
• Future lessons will cover uses of subjunctive in different categories.
• Encouragement to see subjunctive as just another step in learning Spanish.