Subjunctive explanation
I am learning the subjunctive in spanish, and I don't really understand it. Can anyone explain it (at like a 6th grade level) or share a link? Thanks. 
4 Answers
There are 2 moods in Spanish, the indicative and the subjunctive. The indicative deals with hard, cold facts, unemotional facts. Things that exist, the realm of no doubt. The subjuctive deals with emotion, and the realms of posibilities and non-existence and value judgements. Verbs conjugate differently depending on which mood you're in. The best way to understand the way it works in Spanish, I think, is to read alot and listen to native speakers speak. Get a good grammar book and read their explanation, an explanation much better than I could ever come up with. After years and years of hearing Spanish and reading it I think that I get it right most of the time. Some examples:
Phrases with "que" when the subject changes and where there's hope, emotion, a command etc.: Quiero (ind) que vengas (sub). Me gustaría (ind) que comiéramos (sub) en casa. Busco (ind) un cuarto que dé (sub) a la calle.
I don't know why but after certain words the subjuntive is used. When you read in Spanish you'll notice this. After cuando, tan pronto como, para que, hasta que, and many others. Examples:
Cuando vengas (sub), vamos a comer (ind). Trabajo (ind) mucho para que coma(sub) bien mi familia.
Sometimes subjunctive is optional as with "tal vez" and ojalá. When you use the sub after these I think that you're expressing more doubt. Tal vez sea(sub) bueno. Ojalá llueva (sub).
Subjuctive isn't used in English hardly at all, so it takes some getting used to. When you read, as I said, you'll see it all the time and almost always you can identify a cut and dried reason for it. So be patient and eventually it will be obvious.
A good grammar book will explain it in much more detail. What I've explained is just the tip of the iceberg. Good luck!
Here's a link to a game that we have going for practice with the subjunctive also the first post has a bit of an explanation and a good link 
My answer would have been "see Maria-Claires post".
Subjuctive isn't used in English hardly at all, so it takes some getting used to.
It is, but a lot of people just don't realise it. If I were to explain it would all become clear.
I wish it were sunny. I expect you already know these examples, but they're fairly common place. It's just that we don't use the subjunctive any where near as much as it is used in Spanish.
