Creo que es / sea basura

Question

Today the busgirl was gonna clean a table, but she asks me, is this all garbage (in Spanish she doesn't speak any English) so I say "Creo que es basura" then I paused and said "O es correcto decir que, creo que sea basura" and she said "No, es correcto decir que es basura." And I wondered about that. Why not sea? It followed creer que, and I didn't know if it was trash or if they were still using it. Gracias. Es todo por ahora.

Answer 1

Hmmm, what is a busgirl? On a bus? I don't think so.

Creo que....you are affirming something,,remember the declaration rule lazarus always gives, you declare something, you got to use indicative.

To "bus" a table means to clear it of the dirty dishes left over from a meal. In a restaurant, there are usually two or three people dedicated to collecting the dishes from the tables that guests have vacated (they bus the tables) and they are called... - webdunce, Jan 19, 2011

...busboys (or busgirls), but they are usually young men and usually called busboys. - webdunce, Jan 19, 2011

De acuerdo. Gracias webdunce. Gracias Heidita. - jeezzle, Jan 19, 2011

Never heard that in my life, to bus a table, wow, no idea, jeje, I was thinking what has a bus got to do tiwht this lol - 00494d19, Jan 19, 2011

It is only used in the restaurant industry so far as I know, but it is common. Even the guests might say, "Man, when are they gonna bus a table for us." - webdunce, Jan 19, 2011

But, you wouldn't ask your children to bus the table at your house. You'd say "clear the table" or "clean the table." - webdunce, Jan 19, 2011

Answer 2

Indicative is used to inform about things you believe, guess, suspect,...

Subjunctive is used when you can't or don't want to do so, although the structure of the sentence often forces you to make a choice.

"Creo que..." is calling for indicative 100%. It makes no sense being a sentence saying "I believe that..." and finish it by saying "I refuse to tell you what I believe in, which is..." While there are some uses of the subjunctive with regional and personal variations and preferences, you are violating the absolute and most essential rule of the Spanish moods.

...*begin* a sentence... (simple typo). - webdunce, Jan 19, 2011

That explanation helps me a little bit, too. I'm sure I'll still struggle with it, though. - webdunce, Jan 19, 2011

I guess depends on how much you want to commit to your opinion. - BellaMargarita, Jan 19, 2011

Answer 3

I think I see my error, the negative often uses subjunctive isn't that right?

Yes. But the point here is that you're stating what you believe. There's no uncertainty. It is what you believe.

That also helps. - webdunce, Jan 19, 2011

But I was very unsure. Beliefs are not facts. Why is it no longer a belief in the negative then? Easier to just take it at face value as a rule, this one, becuase it's a tough nut to swallow. - jeezzle, Jan 19, 2011

So I will assume "creo que" = 100 indicative, "no creo que" = 100 subjunctive unless I am told otherwise. Grazie. - jeezzle, Jan 19, 2011

Beliefs aren't facts, but the fact that you believe something is. Your belief may or may not be correct, but that doesn't change the fact that you believe it. - KevinB, Jan 19, 2011

Answer 4

I think I see my error, the negative often uses subjunctive isn't that right?

I believe that be the case. :-) - webdunce, Jan 19, 2011

I see your dilemma: there is no uncertainty. It *is* what you don't believe. - webdunce, Jan 19, 2011

Answer 5

I think I see my error, the negative often uses subjunctive isn't that right?

Often? Mmmm... statistically, yes, but not necessarily. Let's use the same rule:

No creo que...

What mood should I use? Well... I am not saying what I think, believe, suspect,... so I can't declare it. Indicative makes no sense, so you must use subjunctive. Indicative is not an option here.

No creía que... (I didn't believe that...)

Which one do I use now? From a past perspective, it is true that I didn't believe it, so declaring what I didn't believe is fine, but from a present perspective it could be different. This time we can choose between simply making a past-based statement refusing to make a declaration , or highlighting what we don't believe now by using indicative. Both moods are possible.

No cree que...

The other person doesn't believe something. From his perspective, we can use subjunctive to avoid all compromise in terms of our personal thoughts, or we can make a proactive contribution by asserting our beliefs. Both moods are again possible.

But the safest bet sounds like "Creo que" = indicative, and "no creo que" = subjunctive (or indicative but you might as well use subjunctive so that your brain doesn't explode from all the excess information in it. - jeezzle, Jan 19, 2011

If I always use subjunctive with "No creo que" can I get away with it? ;) - jeezzle, Jan 19, 2011

Statistically, it’ll work most of the time, but be prepared to hear some occasional sentences where people mean to say “He doesn’t believe it (but I do)” or “I didn’t believe it (but I do now)” - lazarus1907, Jan 19, 2011

Gracias once again my friend. - jeezzle, Jan 19, 2011