Otra pregunta acerca del subjuntivo

Question

After seeing/responding to a few questions regarding the subjunctive recently, I was reminded of a question I have had on my mind for some time. The question is about the use, or rather non-use of the subjunctive. There is a song I love (by Eddie Santiago) it goes like this: "Cada vez que pasas y te veo cerca siento que ms ganas se desencadenan, corre por mi cuerpo un temblor de fuego y dentro muy dentro la fiera despierta". My question is why "se desencadenan" is not in the subjunctive. I have listened to the song hundreds of times, so I know he doesn't use the subjunctive. My rationale is that he is expressing that he knows that when this girl comes around his desires become unleashed (something that the speaker considers to be absolutely true). The thing is, I don't think that I have ever seen an expression of emotion/feeling like this (me siento que.., me gusta que.., etc.) followed by the indicative. I was hoping that an advanced/native speaker could confirm what I think, or give a little more insight.

• I didn't know you could say "pregunta acerca" cool! - rabbitwho Sep 4, 2011

Answer 1

It's because he's describing a physical sensation, he's perceiving what's going on inside.

The subjunctive would have been correct if he had commented on his personal attitude or judgment towards a known phenomenon, but that's not the case here: it's both something new he's telling us - "mis ganas se desencadenan" - and it's a description of him physically noting it.

Hope this helps

Answer 2

My question is why "se desencadenan" is not in the subjunctive.

Because it is declaring what he feels.

The thing is, I don't think that I have ever seen an expression of emotion/feeling like this (me siento que.., me gusta que.., etc.) followed by the indicative

That's because you fell the "pseudo-rule" that subjunctive is about feelings, and it is not. It is about absence of declaration in subordinate clauses, which is something that happens in most circumstances where you comment on how you react to given circumstances. But not always:

Siento que me duele -> You declare what you feel, you inform about what you think or guess.

Siento que te duela -> You are not informing that you think someone else is in pain, but expressing how you feel about it. There is no declaration here.

Espero que todo saldrá bien -> You are informing about what your expectations are by declaring the outcome as what you believe to be a fact.

Espero que todo salga bien -> You not informing that you think it will be all right, but hoping that that is the case. No declaration here.

I objected on the grounds that when I say "I think..." I'm not as sure as I sound so it should be in the subjunctive.

You can use indicative when you are absolutely clueless or when you are completely certain, and the same goes for the subjunctive. Subjunctive and doubt often go along, but the latter does not imply the former, or vice-versa. If you apply the wrong logic or rule, it will fail too often.

Answer 3

I had a problem with this in one Spanish class because I'm a brat. We learned that "I think that the sky is red" would not use the subjunctive because it is certain that this is what I think. I objected on the grounds that when I say "I think..." I'm not as sure as I sound so it should be in the subjunctive. This is when people tell me "sometimes you just have to accept that this is the way it is in Spanish."