G A M E--Christmas in the Subjunctive

Question

Here's a new game, "Christmas in the Subjunctive". Christmas is a time of wishes, of hopes, of desires, of expectations...all things that lead us straight into the dangerous waters of the subjunctive.

Write about what you'd like to get, to see, to wish for etc. I've already gotten one of my wishes, and that's that Gekkosan has graciously agreed to moderate the answers.

Post your sentences in Spanish and English, then vote for the ones you like. The best answer will be chosen on Christmas Eve on the basis of the greatest number of votes and language correctness.

.

And don't forget to correct your posts as suggested. Do NOT use subject pronouns!

Example:

Espero que mi esposo me dé un libro de español.

I hope that my husband gives me a Spanish book.

(hopefully a workbook all about the subjunctive)

Great idea!!! - margaretbl, Dec 9, 2010

What a way to put a damper on a festive holiday! Christmas and the subjunctive do not belong on the same page. :-) - 0074b507, Dec 9, 2010

I'm not trying to be a Grinch...just trying to make the subjunctive a little less painful! - Echoline, Dec 9, 2010

You should be asking for the "Practice Makes Perfect" workbook on the subjunctive. - --Mariana--, Dec 10, 2010

I love that series! I'll mention this to Santa right away! - Echoline, Dec 10, 2010

Answer 1

Deseo que Jen pueda volver a participar pronto.

I wish Jen's able to participate again soon.

Yo también... - Echoline, Dec 10, 2010

También :) - FELIZ77, Dec 10, 2010

jeje, esa no se puede votar, ya ha ocurrido, jeje, menos mal:) - 00494d19, Dec 12, 2010

Sorry for being pedantic but ... shouldn't that be *was* able to (?) - patch, Dec 12, 2010

To be truthful, Patch, I am not absolutely certain. The subjunctive in English is supposed to be followed by the simple form of the verb, so what I wrote should be appropriate. The correct form that you are suggesting is " I wish that Jen were able".... - Gekkosan, Dec 12, 2010

...but I am not certain that what I wrote is incorrect. - Gekkosan, Dec 12, 2010

Answer 2

Espero que haya paz en el mundo - por lo menos en la nochebuena. I hope that there is peace in the world, at least on Christmas Eve.

Christmas Eve=nochebuena - 0074b507, Dec 9, 2010

¡Yo también! - LaBurra, Dec 9, 2010

Gracias Q! things are not going well for me today! - margaretbl, Dec 9, 2010

lovely picture, margaret. - Echoline, Dec 10, 2010

Wonderful and Beautiful picture of a dove :) - FELIZ77, Dec 10, 2010

Nochebuena, mayúscula;) - 00494d19, Dec 12, 2010

Answer 3

¡Deseo que ustedes tengan una Navidad maravillosa!

You too, Marianne! Perfect subjunctive sentence! - Echoline, Dec 10, 2010

English? ;-) - Gekkosan, Dec 10, 2010

He's s-o-o-o-o picky, no? :-) - Echoline, Dec 10, 2010

Answer 4

Deseo que mis niños tengan una buena navidad.
I hope my kids have a good Christmas.

Gender, Mr. Jason. It's time to start paying more attention to that, hm..? "Una buena navidad" - Gekkosan, Dec 10, 2010

Answer 5

Deseo que todos pudiéramos sentarnos juntos a la mesa, como lo hacíamos antes.

I wish we all together could sit down to the table as we did in the past.

Lovely sentiment. - Echoline, Dec 10, 2010

"pudiéramos" - Gekkosan, Dec 10, 2010

Answer 6

Deseo que nieve en Navidad. ¡Nunca he visto una Navidad con nieve!

I wish that it snows on Christmas. I've never seen a "white Christmas"!

Si bueno. Después de dos o tres navidades, ¡ya has visto más que suficiente para toda la vida! :-) - Gekkosan, Dec 9, 2010

Careful what you wish for! - 0074b507, Dec 9, 2010

*I wish that *it* snows" is the common way to say this. "I wish it would snow on Christmas" is more correct. - Gekkosan, Dec 9, 2010

Oh, Lisbeth, it's usually sheer misery.... - Echoline, Dec 9, 2010

..but it IS pretty. :-) - Gekkosan, Dec 10, 2010

Lisbeth, you can come shovel my snow if you make a sentence that needs the subjunctive :-) - Echoline, Dec 10, 2010

Answer 7

Quiero que en la nochebuena no quede ninguna persona con hambre en la calle, que todos estemos contentos al menos por unas horas...

I don't want anyone to remain hungry on the street on Christmas Eve, I want everyone to be happy at least for a few hours...

"ninguna persona hambrienta" or "ninguna persona con hambre" are more natural constructions. "Estemos" does not require accent. - Gekkosan, Dec 12, 2010

Answer 8

Para Navidad, espero que todo el mundo tenga algo que les haga sonreír.

For Christmas, I hope that everyone has something that makes them smile.

Jen, you made Gekko's any many others' wishes come true by posting on this thread. Merry Christmas! - Echoline, Dec 12, 2010

hey, if you think I am not kicking your butt any more, think again! grrrrrrrrrrrr: mundo tengA algo que les haGA sonreír. - 00494d19, Dec 12, 2010

Ooooh, Jen! Thank you for making my wish come true! Welcome back, darling! A happy Christmas to you!! :-) - Gekkosan, Dec 12, 2010

Thanks Heidi and Gekko, a very happy Christmas to you too :)! - --Jen--, Dec 13, 2010

Answer 9

Cómo deseo estar riendo y cantando con mi familia y mis amigos en Navidad.

How I wish to be laughing and singing with my family and my friends on Christmas.

Answer 10

Deseo que por fin todo el mundo deje de usar los pronombres sujeto...hmmmm,

English: wishful thinking

Feliz Navidad a todos.

Yo lo sabía !! Buena suerte Heidi! hahaha - 00b6f46c, Dec 12, 2010

Esa traducción al inglés está un poquito liberal, ¿no? ;-) - Gekkosan, Dec 12, 2010

Answer 11

I like the way the subjunctive is very nicely explained in this site, because they first make sure you get the idea of how this mood is used in English, and then they show you how to use it in Spanish.

It should be easy because there really are no rules to learn; it's more a matter of understanding about uncertainty.

Thanks for that link!! - --Mariana--, Dec 10, 2010

That's great for the 3 people who use the subjunctive correctly in English ;) - lorenzo9, Dec 12, 2010

Well, since we're here, the rest can use the link to learn, yes? :-) - Gekkosan, Dec 12, 2010

Answer 12

Me gustaría desear el mismo de Gekkosan. Jen ¡buena salud pronto!

I would like to wish the same as Gekkosan. Jen, get well soon!

me gustaría...great thought, yesero, but where is the subjunctive? - Echoline, Dec 10, 2010

I haven't figured that out yet. - Yeser007, Dec 12, 2010

:-) - Echoline, Dec 12, 2010

Answer 13

Preferiría que mi familia no peleara.

I'd prefer it that my family not fight.

(God bless 'em)

"Preferiría que mi familia no peleara". - Gekkosan, Dec 10, 2010

G, why isn't it "peleen"? - Echoline, Dec 10, 2010

The conditonal is a past tense http://users.ipfw.edu/jehle/courses/sequence.htm - lorenzo9, Dec 12, 2010

Answer 14

¡Deseo que todo el mundo conozca el amor de Dios esta navidad, especialmente los niños y la gente sin hogar!

="I want everyone to know (experience) the Love of God this Christmas, especially children and the homeless !"

"que todo el mundo conozca", "esta navidad" (female gender) - Gekkosan, Dec 10, 2010

Muchas gracias Gekko :) - FELIZ77, Dec 10, 2010

I had written conozcan because I had forgotten that todo el mundo was conjugated to 3rd person singular rather than 3rd person plural : they = conozcan - FELIZ77, Dec 10, 2010

Answer 15

¡¡Quiero que haya frío y tenga la oportunidad de pongame las suéteres de colores!!

I hope it is cold and I get to wear some colorful winter clothes!!

(Claro que decembers are cold...but where I live, its just 'not very hot'.)