Present Subjunctive
Regular Verbs
Nearly all verbs in the present subjunctive are formed the same way. There are three steps
in this formation:
1. Take the YO form of the present indicative.
2. Remove the O ending.
3. Add the following endings:
-ar verbs: -e, -emos
-es, -éis
-e -en
-er verbs: -a -amos
-ir -as -áis
-a -an
tomar comer escribir 1. Go to the “YO”
tome coma escriba 2. Drop the “O”
tomes comas escribas 3. Flip Flop your vowels
tome coma escriba
tomemos comamos escribamos
toméis comáis escribáis
tomen coman escriban
Caber quepo quepa, quepas, quepa, quepamos, quepáis, quepan
Coger cojo coja, cojas, coja, cojamos, cojáis, cojan
Conocer conozco conozca, conozcas, conozca, conozcamos, conozcáis, conozcan
Destruir destruyo destruya, destruyas, destruya, destruyamos, destruyan
Distinguir dinstingo distinga, distingas, distinga, distingamos, distingáis, distingan
Salir salgo salga, salgas, salga, salgamos, salgáis, salgan
NOTE: Present tense stem changes will still occur in all forms EXCEPT nosotros & vosotros.
O > UE PODER pueda, puedas, pueda, podamos, podáis, puedan
E > IE PENSAR piense, pienses, piense, pensemos, penséis, piensen
E>I PEDIR pida, pidas, pida, pidamos, pidáis, pidan
(*see below for preterite –ir verb stem changing notes)
U > UE JUGAR juegue, juegues, juegue, juguemos, juguéis, jueguen
*(see below for –gar verbs)
NOTE: There is no stem change in the nosotros or vosotros forms, except in –ir stem-changing
verbs. With these verbs, the following changes will take place:
O > UE verbs: O changes to U. durmamos; durmáis
E > IE verbs: E changes to I. mintamos; mintáis
E > I verbs: E changes to I. pidamos; pidáis
NOTE: -CAR, -GAR, - ZAR verbs TOCAR
toque toquemos
CAR -- > QUE 1. Go to the PRETERITE indicative “yo” toques toquéis
2. Drop the accent mark toque toquen
GAR --> GUE
3. What you are left with is the subjunctive “yo” EMPEZAR
ZAR --> CE 4. Keep any present tense stem changes *except in empiece empecemos
the nosotros & vosotros forms empieces empecéis
empiece empiecen
Expression of Desire: Verbs in the main clause which express a wish, a
preference, a request, etc., will set up the need for the subjunctive in the
subordinate clause. In these situations, the subject tells what he or she would like
to happen: whether it will actually happen is not certain.
Commonly used verbs of desire that require the use of the Subjunctive:
esperar – to hope preferir (e>ie) - to prefer
exigir – to demand querer (e>ie) - to want
insisitir en – to insist (on) rogar (o>ue) - to pray, beg
ojalá – God willing; sugerir (e>ie) – to suggest
I strongly hope
pedir (e>ie) to request
Examples:
Él prefiere que yo hable. Ellos esperan que podamos bailar.
He prefers that I speak. They hope that we can dance.
Insistimos en que tengas el dinero. Ella pide que sirvan el café.
We insist that you have the money. She requests that you all serve the coffee.
Quiero que Juan estudie. Espero que ellos vivan en esa casa.
I want John to study. -- I hope that they live in that house.
Literally: I want that John study.
1. Ignorance: Verbs in the main clause that express ignorance or doubt will set
up the need for the subjunctive in the subordinate clause. In these situations,
the subject acknowledges uncertainty or ignorance of the outcome of the action
described in the subordinate clause.
Commonly used verbs of ignorance that require the use of the Subjunctive:
Dudar que – to doubt that
No creer que* - to not believe that
No estar convencido / a de que - to not be convinced that
No estar seguro / a de que – to not be sure that
No imaginarse que – to not imagine that
No parecer que – To not seem that
No pensar que – to not think that
No suponer que – To not suppose that
Temer que – to suspect, fear that
*Note: While the verbs listed in the negative will set up the use of the subjunctive, these same
verbs in the affirmative will set up the indicative in the subordinate clause.
Affirmative / indicative: Negative/subjunctive
Yo creo que Juan tiene el dinero. Yo no creo que Juan tenga el dinero.
I think that John has the money. I don’t think that John has the money.
3. Impersonal Opinion: An impersonal expression in the main clause which
expresses emotion, uncertainty, unreality, or an indirect or implied command will
set up the need for the subjunctive in the subordinate clause
conviene que it is advisable that
es fantástico que it is fantastic that
es importante que it is important that
es imposible que it is impossible that
es improbable que it is unlikely that
es increíble que it is incredible that
es (una) lástima que it is a pity that; it is a shame that
es mejor que it is better that
es necessario que it is necessary that
es posible que it is possible that
es probable que it is probable that
es preferible que it is preferable that
es ridículo que it is ridiculous that
es terrible que it is terrible that
más vale que it is better that
ojalá (que) I hope (that); if only he (it, they, etc.) would, could
might; God willing (that)
pueder ser que it may be that
examples:
Es una lástima que yo esté enfermo.
It’s a pity that I’m sick.
Es necesario que te vayas ahora.
It is necessary that you go now.
Ojalá que no llueva mañana.
I hope it doesn’t rain tomorrow.
Es mejor que comamos el apio.
It’s better that we eat the celery.
Es importante que miren este programa.
It’s important that you all watch this program.
Conviene que ellos sepan su dirección.
It’s advisable that they know their address.
There are six verbs that do not follow the format described for formation in the
present subjunctive. DISHES
Dar Ir Saber Haber Estar Ser
dé vaya sepa haya esté sea
des vayas sepas hayas estés seas
dé vaya sepa haya esté sea
demos vayamos sepamos hayamos estemos seamos
deis vayáis sepáis hayáis estéis seáis
den vayan sepan hayan estén sean
