Can someone explain subjunctive verbs for me?

Question

I understand the past tense and of course the present tense of verbs, but I'm not quite understanding the subjunctive form. For example, the word "despierten" is the subjective form of "despestar," but I'm not quite sure how it translates in English. I'd greatly appreciate the help =)

Answer 1

Keeping it very simple it's a way of expressing how you feel about something - whether it actually is that way or not is not important - it's just how you feel about it.

Below is an example - let's say that you are hoping that someone is happy - we don't know if she really is or not, that's just how you feel - you hope - so you use the subjunctive mood:

Espero que esté feliz" (I hope that she is happy)

*instead of the Present Indicative tense - which 'indicates' how things really are:

Esta feliz. (She is happy)*

So if you're saying how you feel about something, whether you're hoping, doubting, wishing, demanding or feeling sorry about something - those are all times to use the subjunctive.

Answer 2

You say you're looking for an English translation of Spanish subjunctive verbs, so I just thought I'd warn you that you won't come across them in everyday conversation much these days, because the mode has lost currency and a lot of people don't even know it exists. That being said, here's a site with a list of examples of the subjunctive in English, and from the same site, a guide to usage. And here's a verb chart of the English word for despertar, 'to wake'. The subjunctive forms are on the right-hand side. Hope this helps.

Answer 3

The subjunctive isn't a tense, but rather a mood. There is a present and past subjunctive as there is a pesent and past indicative (what you've already learned.) The subjunctive is used for wishes/hopes/desires/some uncertainties/opinions etc..., whereas the indicative is more for statements of fact. In Enlish we sometimes use the subjunctive: "I wish I were 10 years old again." You are expressing a wish. The indicative would've been, "I wish I am 10 years old." But we don't say that, as that would be improper grammar, we use the subjunctive. The Subjunctive in Spanish is used much more commonly than in English, so, though it can translate like you saw above, it can, in many cases, simply translate to our English equivalent--past/present indicative. "Espero que tenga el dinero." Would simply translate to, "I hope I have the money."

Answer 4

Take a look at the Learn Spanish lessons 3.1 and 3.11.
You could also Click Here to read about the subjunctive in the reference section.