G A M E - The Subjunctive

Question

Yes it's time to tackle the big one! The subjunctive:

Attention all: Due to Lazarus' absence, Coffeelate has kindly agreed to help us out for a while with the corrections on this rather deep and often unmeaningful thread je je

If you appreciate the gr8 help that our lovely moderator Coffee is providing here to help you master this trick subject, please vote for her below!

Gracias!

Lazarus has kindly agreed to lend us his well trained grammatical eye as moderator - for which we will all be extremely grateful, I'm sure, as this is a particularly tricky subject.

Just like the previous 'Por vs Para' and 'Preterite vs Imperfect' games, this is how you play:

I will start the game off with a sentence that I feel needs the subjunctive:

The next person's entry should look like this:

Given: restate the given English sentence

Translated: translate it into Spanish

Reason: state the reason why (or why you did not) use the subjunctive

New: give a sentence of your own (in English) that you feel needs the subjunctive

Remember that often the sentence will be correct whether you use the indicative or the subjunctive - the important thing is to understand what exactly you are conveying when you choose to use the subjunctive over the indicative:

Quizás participamos en el espectáculo. Perhaps we'll take part in the show. [Indic.: probable]

Quizás participemos en el espectáculo. Perhaps we'll take part in the show. [Subj.: doubtful]

There are lots of rules and guides around regarding the subjunctive which will definitely help you to lay the groundwork for when and when not to use it. Here's one reference article that provides some such information.

About.com A reference article regarding the subjunctive

If you're just new to using the subjunctive the following statement may not make much sense to you but the further along you go in understanding it's use, a helpful grammarian suggests - "try to think of using the subjunctive at times

when you don't want to specifically make any declaration.

HOT TIPS RE THE SUBJUNCTIVE:

Practice with [ past tense (main verb) + imperfect subjunctive], which always works.

The present subjunctive is mainly used when the main verb is in present, future or imperative. For all other tenses (6 of them), imperfect subjunctive is normally used instead.

Si (except in very rare cases) is never followed by the present subjunctive.

Si (if) makes assumption what follows to be true.

Uncertainty does not imply subjunctive

Given Sentence:

She looks as if she had never broken a plate in her life.

*(Equivalent I think to our: 'She looks as if butter would not melt in her mouth.')

• I am very grateful for this game, but do have to say, "God, help us!" - Echoline Sep 13, 2010
• MC, ¡tu creas los mejores juegos! - pesta Sep 13, 2010
• @ Echo ja ja, come on, the best way to learn is to jump in and be prepared to laugh at your mistakes - we all are lol :) @ Pesta , muchisimas gracias & thanks for being the first taker :) so brave lol! - Kiwi_Girl Sep 13, 2010
• L O V E I T!!!! - Jason7R Sep 13, 2010
• nice work around the 'capitals' issue lol :) Must be your turn then Jason! - Kiwi_Girl Sep 13, 2010
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Answer 1

Hello there!

I am your moderator for this interesting and endless thread

Let's have fun while we learn

Thank you for participating!

• Perfecto, gracias Coffee :) - Kiwi_Girl Jan 9, 2012
• '-' De nada! - coffeelate Jan 9, 2012
• You got my vote, I might even have a go at the game :) - MaryMcc Jan 10, 2012
• Me too, Mary! Voting and playing! - MLucie Jan 10, 2012
• What an idea! I wish I could vote twice! - rabbitwho Jan 10, 2012
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Answer 2

Si tuviera una galleta, me la comería.

The (si) expresses doubt which triggers the subjunctive. Comería is the conditional tense because it is dependent (conditional) on having the biscuit.

---

New sentence: I had hoped to someday be successful but I fear that it won't happen.

• oh pobrecito :( - Kiwi_Girl Sep 13, 2010
• "Si" uses indicative for real conditions, and imperfect subjunctive with hypothetical or unreal ones. "Si tuviera una galleta me la comería". - lazarus1907 Sep 13, 2010
• Hmm I didn't think about that when I wrote it, the English is funny isn't it - we use 'had' a past tense but really we're talking about the present. I guess you don't do the same in Spanish - as in tuviera. - Kiwi_Girl Sep 13, 2010
• ah, sorry Lazarus we must have been typing at the same time, so we do the same in Spanish - yay :) - Kiwi_Girl Sep 13, 2010

Answer 3

Given Sentence:
If I had known it was going to rain, I would have brought my umbrella.
Si hubiera sabido que iba a llover, me habría traído mi paraguas.
I used the subjunctive, again, because this sentence is expressing a feeling about an action that would've been New Sentence:
My dad speaks to me as if I were a child.

• Perfect. Also correct: "me habría traído". - lazarus1907 Sep 13, 2010
• Even a blind squirrel finds a nut every now and then!! ;) - Jason7R Sep 13, 2010
• ja ja , good one Jason :) - Kiwi_Girl Sep 13, 2010

Answer 4

Given: She looks as if she had never broken a plate in her life.

Translated: Ella se ve como si nunca hubiera roto un plato en su vida.

Reason: imperfect subjunctive used due to impersonal observation (the "I" in WEIRDO)

New: I wonder what game we will play next time.

• Well done, first taker! :) That looks great to me (unfortunately I'm no expert) but I like the way you're thinking. Lazarus is on a different time zone but he'll be along presently to confirm or offer help :) - Kiwi_Girl Sep 13, 2010
• “Impersonal” observations can also be stated in indicative, though: "Parece como que no ha roto un plato en su vida". “Como si” is used to introduce unreal situations, so indicative makes no sense. - lazarus1907 Sep 13, 2010
• “Como que” can be used the same way, but it is often used with at least 3 or 4 different uses. In “Parece como que…” you can use indicative if you want to “declare” your opinion, or subjunctive if you don’t. - lazarus1907 Sep 13, 2010
• Nice! And quick, guau! Muchisimas gracias :) So that's a tick for Pesta ¿sí? - Kiwi_Girl Sep 13, 2010
• Of course! - lazarus1907 Oct 7, 2010

Answer 5

Given: I wanted to go to the soccer game but my wife thought going to the movies was a better idea

Translated: Quería ir al partido de fútbol pero mi esposa pensó que sería mejor que fueramos a ver una película.

Reason: I'm pretty sure that I could have used either thing here. If you had actually gone to the movies than I would have used preterito but it says nothing of the sort.

New: I wish that I could meet a man who has buckets of money.

• should be had buckets in correct grammar - Heidita Sep 13, 2010
• "Era mejor" is another option, but "fuéramos" has to be in subjunctive. - lazarus1907 Sep 13, 2010
• Nobody uses subjunctive in English except "I wish I were" or "I wish I had" - ambie18 Sep 13, 2010
• I wish I had a man with buckets of money would work. - ambie18 Sep 13, 2010
• Hi ambie18. We use the subjunctive after "if". - Eddy Sep 27, 2010

Answer 6

Given: I'm sorry that you can't come to the party.

Translated: Lamento que no puedas venir a la fiesta.

Reason: Subjuntive after "lamento que"

New Sentence: It's important that you finish your homework.

Answer 7

Given: He is surprised that we live like that.

Translation: Está sorprendido de que vivamos así.

Reason: Emotion + de que = subjunctive?

New Sentence: I wish that I were taller.

Answer 8

Given -- I don't think that it will rain this weekend.

Translated -- No creo que llueva este fin de semana.

Reason -- Subjunctive is used to express the doubt that it will rain. Although it's an expression of something that may/may not happen in the future, the present subjunctive form is used.

New -- Try my new soup. I hope that you like it as much as I do.

• I don't know why I bother checking your attempts, Marianne. Another perfect one! - lazarus1907 Sep 18, 2010
• Thanks! - --Mariana-- Sep 19, 2010
• Gee Mariana...Where did you learn such perfect grammar for spanish? - foxluv Feb 4, 2012

Answer 9

Given:

Try my new soup. I hope that you like it as much as I do.

Translated:

Prueba mi nueva sopa. Espero que te guste [a ti] tanto como a mí

Reason:

'te guste' the subjunctive shows that although I hope you will like it as much as me, I'm not sure

New Sentence:

We will go to the beach even if it is cold.

• "Prueba mi nueva sopa. Espero que te guste [a ti] tanto como a mí" - lazarus1907 Sep 20, 2010
• Gracia Lazarus, ah the old mixing the genders, got me again! So you can't say 'como yo' either? - - Kiwi_Girl Sep 20, 2010

Answer 10

Sentence: Perhaps it will rain tomorrow.

Translation: Tal vez llueva mañana o a lo mejor llueve mañana.

Reason: After "Tal vez" it is usual to put the subjunctive, I put the other one because it's something that I've been hearing quite a lot and I notice that the subjunctive never follows "a lo mejor".

New sentence: I felt there was something missing in my life until my son was born.

• All correct! (including the rules) - lazarus1907 Oct 8, 2010
• Thank Ralf, I haven't come across that 'a lo mejor' - good to know it can't be followed by the subjunctive. So is it equivalent to 'perhaps, or is there a slightly different nuance - like 'it would be good if it did' or 'there's a strong possibilitly'?? - Kiwi_Girl Oct 8, 2010
• Yeah, it's equivalent to perhaps. It doesn't carry any meaning of "it would be good" or "strong possibility". Simply "perhaps". - Ralf_Schnurr Oct 8, 2010
• Gracias :) I wonder why it doesn't take the subjunctive? - Kiwi_Girl Oct 8, 2010
• While "quizá" and "tal vez" can take both indicative or subjunctive, "a lo mejor" is not exactly used to talk about probabilities, but more like saying "Imagine that this is true" (which also takes indicative), declaring that possibility as likely. - lazarus1907 Oct 9, 2010
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Answer 11

Given:

In this case, grandmother was right but much of the time I don't think she was in her right mind.

Translated:

En este caso abuelita tuvo razon, pero por el mayor parte del tiempo no creo que ella estuviera en su sano juicio.

Reason:

to be in your right mind is estar en su sano juicio but as you didn't believe it the subjunctive is used.

creo que = indicative no creo que = subjunctive

New Sentence:

It's fantastic that we get to go home early.

(sorry about the get to go bit too )

• Great job! - coffeelate Dec 22, 2011

Answer 12

Given:

It's fantástic that we get to go home early.

Translated:

Es fantastico que podamos ir a casa temprano.

Reason:

Impersonal expression of emotion, in this case "It's fantastic that..." calls for the subjunctive.

New Sentence:

I don't want a tour guide that gets lost going to the bathroom.

• well done Pesta, don't forget the accent, fantástico :) - Kiwi_Girl Sep 19, 2011
• ¡Gracias! - pesta Sep 19, 2011
• and I think the temprano would usually go next to the verb? ir temprano a casa ;) - Kiwi_Girl Dec 19, 2011

Answer 13

Given:

I don't want a tour guide that gets lost going to the bathroom.

Translated:

No quiero un guía turístico que se pierda yendo al baño.

Reason:

It uses the subjunctive because this "tour guide" is not a person that definitely exists. (Thanks, Kiwi Girl)

New Sentence:

I'm not sure what time the tour starts tomorrow.

• Good try Rosa - remember though that the subjunctive is used when you are speaking about someone that may or may not exist - here you are not talking about a real, certain tour guide that gets lost so it's a good candidate for the subjunctive, would you - Kiwi_Girl Sep 21, 2011
• like to have another go? - Kiwi_Girl Sep 21, 2011
• Oh! Ok, got it. Thanks for the correction! - RosaVerde Sep 21, 2011
• Weee the subjunctive is... nuanced! XD - RosaVerde Sep 21, 2011
• also I might have been inclined to put al ir al baño but that might not be the only way to say it :) - Kiwi_Girl Sep 21, 2011
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Answer 14

Given Sentence:

Laying still in his bed, he looked as if he were already dead.

Translation:

Acostado sin movimiento en la cama, parecía como si ya estuviera muerto.

Reason:

It's a subjective observation - he seemed dead; in fact he wasn't

New Sentence:

When you finish your chores we'll go to the movies.

• Hi Kiwi! You mean ¨Acostado¨ but it´s correct. - coffeelate Dec 22, 2011
• ja ja ah ehhrm yes of course that's what I meant lol, thanx Coffee, yr the bomb :) - Kiwi_Girl Dec 22, 2011
• Cuando termines su trabajo, vamos al cine. - tuscantory Jan 3, 2012
• Thanks Tuscan, why don't you join in - just click newest above, then translate the new sentence, give your reason why you did or didn't use the subjunctive and then leave a new sentence for the next person :) - Kiwi_Girl Jan 3, 2012

Answer 15

Given Sentence: I wish I could hire someone to clean for me.

Translation: Ojala pudiera contratar a alguien para que venga a limpiar.

Reason: Ojala for an almost impossible situation in the present so present subjunctive... I know that usually in Spanish you use "para + verb" when you mean "for the purpose of".. but I don't like having those two paras there... hmm

New Sentence: I would prefer you bring desert rather than wine.

• nearly Rabbit, good try - As far as I understand ojalá pueda (pres subj) means I hope but ojalá pudiera (imp subj) means I wish for something hypothetical or contrary to fact - Kiwi_Girl Dec 19, 2011
• Here's a work around for the two paras :) Ojalá pudiera contratar a alguien para que venga a limpiar. - it had me stumped to so I called in some outside help ;) - Kiwi_Girl Dec 19, 2011
• That's what I thought Kiwi but then I saw this: http://www.drlemon.com/Grammar/Subjunctive/ojala.html maybe it's wrong - rabbitwho Dec 19, 2011
• That website made me think that you used the past subjunctive when the desire was in the past or absolutely impossible. - rabbitwho Dec 19, 2011
• well just having a quick look at your link it says pres subj for something 'possible' even if remotely but in your post you are using ojalá because you view it as pretty much impossible or at least unlikely - in that case I'd definitely use the imp subj - - Kiwi_Girl Dec 19, 2011
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