Overview

The present subjunctive (el presente de subjuntivo) functions much like the present indicative time-wise except it deals with situations of doubt, desire, emotion, and is generally subjective while the present indicative is true, real, and objective. In some cases, it can also refer to the future. If you are familiar with all the spelling-changes, stem-changes, and irregular verbs in the "yo" form of the indicative, then you already know most of the spelling-changes, stem-changes, and irregular verbs in the subjunctive too. For specifics on when to use the subjunctive instead of the indicative, see the subjunctive introduction.

Present Subjunctive

To conjugate a verb in the present subjunctive, you must first remember what the indicative present yo form is. In the present subjunctive, instead of forming a stem from the infinitive, the stem is formed from the yo form of the present indicative. For many verbs, this will be the same as the infinitive stem, but for many others (all the spelling-changes, stem-changing, and irregulars), it will be very different.

Present Subjunctive Stem Formula

present subjunctive stem = yo form of present indicative (without the -o)

• Yo hablo -' habl-
• Yo tengo -' teng-
• Yo vivo -' viv-

Irregular in Present Indicative = Irregular in Present Subjunctive

If the stem is irregular in the yo form of the present indicative, it is also irregular in the subjunctive for all forms (including all stem-changing -ir verbs).

How to Find the Stem

To the end of this new stem, add the appropriate ending depending on the subject of the verb and infinitive ending of the verb. There are only two ending sets for the present subjunctive; one for -ar verbs and one for both -er and -ir verbs.

Present Subjunctive Endings

Copy Cat Endings

-ar endings are the same as -er endings in the present indicative except in the yo form. -er and -ir endings are the same as -ar endings in the present indicative except in the yo form.

Example Conjugations

Irregular

There are only 6 truly irregular verbs in the subjunctive. All other "irregulars" are only irregular in the stem or in spelling.

Irregular Present Subjunctive

Tildes Mean A Lot!

The tilde on dé is used to distinguish it from the preposition de, unless a pronoun is attached to the end as it deme (give me), where it is omitted.

Stem-changes

All e-'ie and o-'ue stem-changing -ar and -er verbs in the present indicative follow the same rules in the present subjunctive: all forms follow the stem change except for nosotros and vosotros (these use the infinitive stem).

• volar - vuele, vueles, vuele, volemos, voléis, vuelen
• querer - quiera, quieras, quiera, queramos, queráis, quieran All e-'ie and o-'ue stem-changing -ir verbs in the present indicative follow the same rules in the present subjunctive except the nosotros and vosotros forms where the e changes to i and the o changes to u.
• preferir - prefiera, prefieras, prefiera, prefiramos, prefiráis, prefieran
• dormir - duerma, duermas, duerma, durmimos, duerman All e-'i stem-changing -ir verbs in the present indicative maintain the stem-change in all forms.
• pedir - pida, pidas, pida, pidamos, pidáis, pidan
• servir - sirva, sirvas, sirva, sirvamos, sirváis, sirvan

Spelling-changes

All spelling changes in the preterit indicative are maintained in the present subjunctive. This is to maintain pronunciation of the infinitive. All verbs ending in -ger and -gir change the g to a j in all forms.

• escoger - escoja, escojas, escoja, escojamos, escojáis, escojan
• exigir - exija, exijas, exija, exijamos, exijáis, exijan All verbs ending in -car, -gar, and -zar change to qu, gu, and c respectively.
• explicar - explique, expliques, explique, expliquemos, expliquéis, expliquen
• llegar - llegue, llegues, llegue, lleguemos, lleguéis, lleguen
• empezar - empece, empeces, empece, empecemos, empecéis, empecen

Exercises

1) Conjugate each verb in parenthesis to the present subjunctive to complete each sentence and remove the personal pronoun if it is present.

Example: Mamá quiere que (hacer) yo el pastel. -> Mamá quiere que haga el pastel.

Hint! Remember to conjugate the verb to the 2nd subject in the sentence, the subject in the dependent clause. (The 1st subject determines the 1st verb in the independent clause.)

1. Javier duda que el tren (llegar) a tiempo.
2. Es posible que ellas (venir) a la fiesta.
3. Prefieren que yo (traer) la música.
4. Yo quiero que tú (bailar) conmigo.
5. Mi hermano no cree que los extraterrestres (existir).
6. Sus vecinos le piden a él que no (poner) la música tan alta.
7. Es bueno que Elena (cocinar) para su familia.
8. Me alegro de que tú (ir) a mi fiesta.
9. Ojalá que nosotros (encontrar) un apartamento nuevo.
10. Es importante que todos (cerrar) la puerta.

Answers

1. llegue
2. vengan
3. traiga
4. bailes
5. existan
6. ponga
7. cocine
8. vayas
9. encontremos
10. cierren