What the subjuntivo is
The subjuntivo is a mood, not a tense. A tense says when something happens; a mood says how the speaker relates to it: as a fact, or as something wished for, judged, feared or doubted. Spanish keeps a complete set of verb forms for that second attitude. You find it almost always in a clause after que, switched on by the expression in front of it.
The contrast in a sentence
Sé que viene hoy.
I know he is coming today. (certainty)
Espero que venga hoy.
I hope he comes today. (wish)
Building the regular forms
hablar: from the yo form to the subjuntivo
The forms at a glance
| Person | hablar (to speak) | comer (to eat) | vivir (to live) |
|---|---|---|---|
| yo | hable | coma | viva |
| tú | hables | comas | vivas |
| él/ella/usted | hable | coma | viva |
| nosotros/as | hablemos | comamos | vivamos |
| vosotros/as | habléis | comáis | viváis |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | hablen | coman | vivan |
-ar verbs: endings with e · -er/-ir verbs: endings with a
The forms in a sentence
Quiero que hables más despacio.
I want you to speak more slowly.
Es mejor que comamos algo ahora.
It's better that we eat something now.
Me alegra que vivas cerca.
I'm glad you live nearby.
Because you start from the yo form, its irregularities carry over: quiero → quiera, tengo → tenga. Six verbs have forms of their own (sea, vaya, sepa, haya, esté, dé).
What switches it on
Four groups of triggers, here is the overview. Learn them as ready-made chunks: as soon as one of them opens the sentence, the verb after que changes shape.
Wishes & requests
After querer que, esperar que, necesitar que.
Necesito que me escuches.
I need you to listen to me.
Emotions
After me alegra que, siento que, me molesta que.
Me alegra que vengas con nosotros.
I'm glad you're coming with us.
Impersonal judgements
After es necesario que, es posible que, es mejor que.
Es necesario que descanses.
It's necessary that you rest.
Doubt & denied opinion
After no creo que, dudo que, no es verdad que. Watch the negation: creo que takes the indicative, no creo que flips to the subjuntivo.
No creo que sea caro.
I don't think it's expensive.
With the same subject there is no que and no subjuntivo, just an infinitive, as in English I want to go: Quiero ir.
Hear the difference
Indicativo and subjuntivo often differ by a single vowel, and it sits at the very end of the word, the place where English swallows vowels into a vague sound. Say these pairs with a clear, full final vowel.
Minimal pairs
habla
he speaks (indicativo)
hable
that he speak (subjuntivo)
come
he eats (indicativo)
coma
that he eat (subjuntivo)
