The Spanish Subjunctive: When to Use It (and How to Form It)

Few grammar topics make Spanish learners as nervous as the subjunctive (el subjuntivo). Yet native speakers use it every day in ordinary sentences: Espero que estés bien (I hope you're well), Llámame cuando llegues (Call me when you arrive). Once you see the pattern behind it, it becomes one of the most expressive parts of the language.

Indicative vs. subjunctive in one sentence

The indicative presents information as real or certain. The subjunctive presents it as something wished for, felt about, doubted or not yet real.

• Sé que Marta viene. — I know Marta is coming. (fact → indicative)
• Espero que Marta venga. — I hope Marta comes. (wish → subjunctive)

The event is the same; the speaker's attitude towards it is what changes.

How to form the present subjunctive

Regular verbs in two steps

1. Take the yo form of the present indicative and remove the final -o: hablo → habl-, como → com-, vivo → viv-.
2. Add the endings of the "other" group: -ar verbs take e endings, -er and -ir verbs take a endings.

Because the stem comes from the yo form, many "irregular" verbs follow the rule automatically: tengo → tenga, hago → haga, digo → diga, conozco → conozca, salgo → salga.

Spelling changes

Some verbs change their spelling to keep the same sound: buscar → busque, llegar → llegue, empezar → empiece.

The six truly irregular verbs

These do not follow the yo rule and are worth learning by heart:

When to use the subjunctive

A common memory aid is the acronym WEIRDO: Wishes, Emotions, Impersonal expressions, Recommendations, Doubt and denial, and Ojalá. It is not a complete rule, but it covers most everyday cases.

Wishes and influence

When you want, ask, recommend or advise someone else to do something:

• Quiero que me ayudes. — I want you to help me.
• Te recomiendo que pruebes el gazpacho. — I recommend you try the gazpacho.
• Mis padres prefieren que vuelva antes de las doce. — My parents prefer me to be back before twelve.

Emotions

When you react emotionally to someone else's action:

• Me alegra que estés aquí. — I'm glad you're here.
• Siento que no puedas venir. — I'm sorry you can't come.
• Me molesta que lleguen tarde. — It bothers me that they arrive late.

Impersonal judgements

Expressions such as es importante que, es necesario que, es mejor que, es posible que:

• Es importante que duermas bien antes del examen. — It's important that you sleep well before the exam.
• Es posible que llueva mañana. — It may rain tomorrow.

Expressions of certainty take the indicative instead: Es verdad que llueve mucho aquí (It's true that it rains a lot here).

Doubt and denial

• Dudo que tengan razón. — I doubt they're right.
• No creo que sea tan difícil. — I don't think it's that difficult.

Compare with belief, which takes the indicative: Creo que es difícil (I think it's difficult).

Ojalá

Ojalá (I hope, if only) is always followed by the subjunctive:

• ¡Ojalá haga buen tiempo el sábado! — I hope the weather's nice on Saturday!

The same-subject rule

The subjunctive normally appears only when the two clauses have different subjects. If the subject is the same, use the infinitive:

• Quiero viajar. — I want to travel. (same subject)
• Quiero que viajes. — I want you to travel. (different subjects)
• Es importante estudiar. — It's important to study. (general)
• Es importante que estudies. — It's important that you study. (specific person)

Conjunctions that trigger the subjunctive

Some conjunctions always take the subjunctive because they point to something not yet real:

• para que (so that): Te lo explico para que lo entiendas. — I'm explaining it so that you understand.
• antes de que (before): Sal antes de que empiece a llover. — Leave before it starts raining.
• sin que (without): Salió sin que nadie lo viera. — He left without anyone seeing him.

Others, like cuando, take the subjunctive only when they refer to the future:

• Cuando termine, te llamo. — When I finish, I'll call you. (future → subjunctive)
• Cuando termino, siempre te llamo. — When I finish, I always call you. (habit → indicative)

Unknown or non-existent people and things

In relative clauses, the subjunctive describes something you are looking for but haven't identified, or something that doesn't exist:

• Busco un piso que tenga terraza. — I'm looking for a flat that has a terrace. (any flat)
• Vivo en un piso que tiene terraza. — I live in a flat that has a terrace. (a real one)
• No conozco a nadie que hable ruso. — I don't know anyone who speaks Russian.

A look ahead: the imperfect subjunctive

At higher levels you will need the imperfect subjunctive, especially in hypothetical sentences: Si tuviera más tiempo, aprendería a tocar la guitarra (If I had more time, I'd learn to play the guitar). It also replaces the present subjunctive when the main verb is in the past: Quería que vinieras (I wanted you to come).

How to practise

Start with fixed phrases you can use immediately: Espero que te guste, Que tengas un buen día, Ojalá. Then add one trigger group at a time. Reading and listening help a lot, because you start to notice the subjunctive where it naturally appears.

Curious how your grammar compares to the CEFR levels? The subjunctive is one of the topics in our free Spanish level test, alongside vocabulary, reading and listening.