Subjunctive/Indicative practice

Question

¿Qué os parece mi intento en este ensayo? Lo encontré por la red y quería intentar de hacerlo.

What do you think of my attempt at this exercise? I found it on the Web and wanted to try it.

1. A causa de las manchas de aceite en los mares dudo que... existan las ballenas por mucho más tiempo.

Due to (or maybe 'because of') oil spills in the seas I doubt that whales will exist for much longer.

1. A causa de las pinturas de Víctor Caudero Rojas y las canciones de Maná es posible que...el mundo cambie.

It's possible that the world will change (changes) because of Víctor Caudero Rojas' paintings and Maná's songs.

1. A causa de las leyes para proteger la capa del ozono creo que... se van a reducir los problemas medioambientales.

I believe that environmental problems are going to be reduced due to the laws to protect the ozone layer.

1. A causa de usar pesticidas dañinos en las cosechas creo que... los ríos están envenenados.

I believe that the rivers are poisoned because of the use of harmful pesticides on crops.

1. A causa de los efectos de El Niño es obvio que... debemos hacer más esfuerzos para proteger a la gente.

Due to the effects of El Niño it's obvious that we should make more efforts to protect the populace. (I think we'd say 'populace' rather tha 'the people')

1. A causa de los esfuerzos para reciclar esperamos que... disminuyan las montañas de basura en las ciudades.

We hope that the mountains of rubbish in cities will diminish due to the efforts made to recycle.

1. A causa de la deforestación de las selvas tropicales es trágico que... muchos animales se estén muriendo.

It's tragic that many animals are dying due to deforestation.

1. A causa de la superpoblación de las ciudades es cierto que... no va a haber suficientes hogares para todo el mundo.

Due to the overpopulation in cities it's certain that there won't be enough homes for everybody.

1. A causa de la contaminación del aire es urgente que... reduzcamos la cantidad de tráfico y mejoremos el sístema de transporte público.

Because of air contamination it's urgent that we reduce the quantity of traffic and improve public transport.

1. A causa de la escasez de energía eléctrica recomiendo que... todo el mundo se lo piense bien antes de usar los aparatos eléctricos. Due to the scarcity of electricity I recommend that everybody think hard before using electrical appliances.

that everybody think hard - the subjunctive in English makes a rare appearance!!! (I hope I'm right, it sounds right..)

Gracias de antemano por tus respuestas.

la red, - 00494d19, Feb 13, 2011

No Translation??? - Miro74, Feb 14, 2011

Coming up now Mira. :D - galsally, Feb 14, 2011

Answer 1

sugiero que... los ríos estén envenenados.

Wow, you want rivers to be poisened? jeje, check that sentence

Also check on pensar, conjugation

Thanks Heidi, I'll explain my (incorrect) reasoning below, above I have altered the sentence completely along with other corrections. :) - galsally, Feb 13, 2011

Answer 2

Great exercise, Sally

I'd make some tiny changes:

A causa de las manchas de aceite en los mares dudo que... existan las ballenas por mucho más tiempo.

A causa de las pinturas de Víctor Caudero Rojas y las canciones de Maná es posible que... el mundo cambie.

A causa de las leyes para proteger la capa del ozono creo que... se van a reducir los problemas medioambientales.

A causa de usar pesticidas dañinos en las cosechas sugiero que... los ríos estén envenenados.(???) ... se reduzca el uso de los mismos para evitar la contaminación de los ríos.

A causa de los efectos de El Niño es obvio que... debemos hacer más esfuerzos para proteger a la gente.

A causa de los esfuerzos para reciclar esperamos que... disminuyan las montañas de basura en las ciudades.

A causa de la deforestación de las selvas tropicales es trágico que... muchos animales mueran (??) están muriendo/mueren

A causa de la superpoblación de las ciudades es cierto que... no va a haber bastantes/suficientes hogares para todo el mundo.

A causa de la contaminación del aire es urgente que... reduzcamos la cantidad de tráfico y mejoremos el sistema de transporte público.

A causa de la escasez de energía eléctrica recomiendo que... todo el mundo se lo piense bien antes de usar los aparatos domésticos que usan --electricidad.

Thank you so much, Cogu! Some of the errors are actually in the given exercise itself! The first part of each sentence was given as a starter... :D - galsally, Feb 13, 2011

Answer 3

Es trágico saber que los animales "mueren" masivamente a causa de la contaminación ( indicative) - cogumela

Actually, this is an interesting difference I did not even consider.

Es trágico saber que....indicative, of course, as you are stating a fact, or opinion true for you.

Es trágico que...subjunctive, as this is would be something like: it is sad that this should happen...

Actually, the sentence above should read,

A causa de la deforestación de las selvas tropicales es trágico que... estén muriendo/mueran

Sally, this shows, jeje, that if natives do not always agree on this matter, what can I say, if I were you , I would feel very happy

:) Oh, I don't disagree with you... I'm actually doubting and answering myself the same things that you both :) - cogumela, Feb 14, 2011

jeje, it's all good! - galsally, Feb 15, 2011

Answer 4

I think you are doing really well, though the sentence is not completely correct.

Me sienta mal que muchos animales se estén muriendo a causa de la deforestación de las selvas tropicales .

In the other sentence I would also use subjunctive:

Es trágico---triggers subjunctive, I cannot think of a sentence where you would use indicative here.

It must have slipped past Cogu somehow. I'm glad, because I really felt it should be subjunctive all along! - galsally, Feb 14, 2011

Es trágico saber que los animales "mueren" masivamente a causa de la contaminación ( indicative) - cogumela, Feb 14, 2011

That makes sense cogu! I think I can remember that. - galsally, Feb 14, 2011

Answer 5

Hi, Sally!

A causa de la deforestación de las selvas tropicales es trágico que... muchos animales se están muriendo.

This is correct, for me, but it sounds a lot more natural and logic if you say :

Es trágico que muchos animales se están muriendo a causa de la deforestación de las selvas tropicales

You're right. The use of the indicative here "suggests" that animals, indeed, are dying (it's a fact) . If you use the subjunctive (estén) you are not affirming that animals are dying, but you are emphasizing that you think animals death is something tragic. You are not centered in the fact that animals are really dying now, but if it happened, it's obvious that you dislike that. Both moods are correct.

Me sienta mal que muchos animales se estén/están muriendo a causa de la deforestación de las selvas tropicales .

Again, both moods are correct, for the same reason.

Gracias otra vez- te entiendo perfectamente. :) - galsally, Feb 15, 2011

Answer 6

This is just a small and very modest suggestion in an otherwise tremendously well done endeavor (by you).

The sentence is a bit unwieldy -- unnecessarily long, and I understand you may not have written it -- it may have been part of your exercise, but here goes:

A causa de la escasez de energía eléctrica recomiendo que... todo el mundo se lo piense bien antes de usar los aparatos domésticos que usan --electricidad.

A causa de la escasez de energía eléctrica, recomiendo que todo el mundo se lo piense bien antes de usar los aparatos eléctricos.

Good job, though!

Hi Nancy! Thanks, excellent suggestion - I think I got so bound up in thinking about the subjunctive I missed that very sensible option! :) - galsally, Feb 15, 2011

Answer 7

I never knew this one exercise would yield so much information!

Ok, so :

Me sienta mal que..... It doesn't sit well with me that.... (and in fact in English we say this too!)

Siento que ....I'm sorry that...

I tried to say 'I feel bad that' but it doesn't work that way.

¿Tengo razón?

Mil gracias por la ayuda, es inestimable.

"Me siento que" is not correct , It should be : "Siento que" = I' sorry that or I feel that, "Me siento" mal/ bien :) you are doing very well, Sally! - cogumela, Feb 14, 2011

¡Hola Cogu! - galsally, Feb 14, 2011

¡Hola, Sally! cielo :) - cogumela, Feb 14, 2011

Answer 8

•A causa de usar pesticidas dañinos en las cosechas sugiero que... los ríos estén envenenados.

My interpretation of the English word 'suggest' here was erroneous; if I change the word order then 'suggest' makes more sense to me, I'm fairly sure it is used in this way (in English) which means 'imply':

I suggest that the rivers are poisoned because of the use of damaging pesticides on crops. (unspoken here is 'I suggest that the reason the rivers are poisoned is because....')

I see now that 'sugerir' is closer to the English 'recommend' or 'propose', and that my answer seemed crazy (or evil!!).

I'll try again:

•A causa de usar pesticidas dañinos en las cosechas sugiero que... observemos la calidad del agua en nuestros ríos y mares.

Espero que ya tenga sentido.....?

Gracias de nuevo.

sugiero que observemos....( no pensé que fueras mala, jeje, solo estaba bromeando, entendí en seguida que era una confusión - 00494d19, Feb 13, 2011

yo también estaba bromeando. :) - galsally, Feb 14, 2011

Answer 9

(See Heidi's response to this, Indicative is not required here)

A causa de la deforestación de las selvas tropicales es trágico que... muchos animales se están muriendo.

I just need to check that I understand this one correctly.

OK - the animals are definitely dying - I'm not suggesting we do anything about it, just making a statement right? Hence the use of indicative tense.

However, if I were to say:

Me sienta mal que muchos animales se estén muriendo a causa de la deforestación de las selvas tropicales .

Is that correct, that because I'm stating an emotional reaction to the clause I'd use the subjunctive?

Have I understood the reasoning (or does the second sentence also require the indicative?)

I still can't get a good grasp on the subjunctive although I remember many of the triggering verbs and clauses.

Perdonadme escribirlo en inglés pero creo que puedo explicaros mis dudas mejor en inglés que en español. Gracias otra vez. x - galsally, Feb 14, 2011