Why is this sentence subjunctive?

Question

My Mexican friend, who speaks fluent Spanish, corrected this sentence:

"No tienes más que quieres decir?" to: "No tienes más que quieras decir?"

I don't understand why quieras is subjunctive? Thank you to anyone who can explain this (hopefully in a short n' sweet way).

Answer 1

Because of the uncertainty of you having or not anymore to say.

EDIT:

Of course you can always ask in indicative ¿Quieres decir algo más?

OH! Yeah I guess so, thanks! - Erin, May 19, 2011

Answer 2

Hi Erin.

Before going to the subjunctive, you can just say "¿Tienes más que decir?", because "tener que" means "to have to" or "to need to", so you say "tener (noun) que (infinitive)" which means "to have (something) to (do).

---

Remember this?

No habían vuelos que fueran a México.

Well, the same rule applies here. The subjunctive is also used with "having", "knowing", "seeing", and more. If it is a question or is negative, you use the subjunctive on the verb in the adjectivial clause that modifies the noun. If it's positive, you use the indicative.

In the question

¿No tienes más que quieras decir?

you are asking the question, so you don't know if the answer is "yes" or "no". The answer could be yes, but since it could also be "no", it is quite possible that you don't have more to say. So the verb in the adjectivial clause, "querer" is in the subjunctive.

In the reply

No, no tengo más que quiera decir.

you are declaring that you don't have more, so how could you want to say it? "querer" is in the subjunctive.

In the reply

Sí, tengo más que quiero decir

you are declaring that there in fact IS more, and that you DO want to say it. That calls for the indicative mood.

Verbs like "looking for, wanting, and needing" (Buscar, querer, necesitar) are slightly different, because they take the subjunctive when affirmative. When you are "looking" for something, and when you "need" something, that "something" might not exist. When the definite article "el, la, los, and las" is used before the noun, the indicative is used, because you have a specific thing in mind.

Busco un cantante que pueda cantar. I'm looking for a singer that can sing.

Busco el cantante que puede cantar esa canción. I'm looking for the singer that can sing that song.

Here's more Link text. Scroll down to "Doubt".

Answer 3

"No tienes más que quieres decir?" to: "No tienes más que quieras decir?"

Simple: are you saying "[tú] quieres decir algo" (lit. "que quieres decir") specifically with the intention to inform the other person about your thoughts? Are you really telling him what he really wants to do? If the answer is no, indicative is not possible. Period. Forget about random complex rules about the subjunctive.

Questions are not generally asked to declare something, but it seems to me that most questions use the indicative. - lorenzo9, Aug 12, 2011

Questions are used to inquire whether something can be declared. ;) - lazarus1907, Aug 12, 2011

Um, I don't understand what you're saying lazarus. What I'm saying is: Do you have anything you want to say. That's it. I have no thoughts to inform the other person about, I'm not telling him/her what thy want to do. - Anna, Aug 12, 2011

Answer 4

This could also be said in conditional. "¿No hay más que quisieras decir?"

Is that conditional? Are you sure? :) - chileno, May 19, 2011

Answer 5

He is a mind reader and knows exactly what you meant to say.

Jaja :) - GuitarWarrior, Aug 12, 2011

Answer 6

If you knew that there was a high probability that your friend did have something more she/he wanted to say, I think you would be fine using the indicative. It depends on context.