Subjunctive homework
I realize that I'm just supposed to follow a pattern in this exercise, but I don't understand exactly what the example means.
¿Sabe María que viene Juan Carlos?
Sí. Se alegra de que venga.
is it, "Do you know this girl Maria who came with Juan Carlos? Yes. She's happy that she came." But if that's right, it wouldn't be subjunctive, so I know that I'm making a mistake somewhere, but I can't figure it out. I have to get this one nailed down because all the following questions fit the pattern, as the next one is "¿Sabe María que conoces a Pedro? and ¿Sabe María que tenemos un día libre?" There's 12 of these things.....
Thanks.
3 Answers
¿Sabe María que viene Juan Carlos? = Does María know that Juan Carlos is coming?
Sí. Se alegra de que venga. = Yes. She is happy that he is coming.
A lot of times in Spanish you put the subject after the verb in a question:
¿Sabe María? = Knows María? = Does María know?
¿Sabe María que viene Juan Carlos?
The verb "sabe" is in the third person singular and in accordance with the subject of the first clause (i.e. "Maria"). That would make your first clause:
Does Maria know?
The verb in the second clause is also in third person singular in order to conform to the subject of that clause (i.e. Juan Carlos). That would make the second clause:
Juan Carlos is coming/comes
When you join the two clauses with the relative pronoun "que" then you are left with the following:
Does Maria know that Juan Carlos is coming?
I believe the pattern that you are meant to follow is in your response which should be in the form....
Sí. Se alegra de que.... - Yes. It makes her happy/she is happy that....
¿Sabe María que viene Juan Carlos? = Does María know that Juan Carlos is coming? Sí. Se alegra de que venga.= Yes, she is happy that Juan Carlos is coming.
¿Sabe María que conoces a Pedro?= Does María know that you know a Pedro?
¿Sabe María que tenemos un día libre?= Does María know that we have a holiday?
