subjunctive and opinions
Hi, I know that there are other threads related to this topic but I cant find one that ultimately answers my question. Do you use subjunctive with opinions? Because in another thread I saw "en mi opinion.." with indicative. But surely if the subjunctive mood expresses opinions, then "en mi opinion" must be with the subjunctive? Also "creo que" is with indicative. Why? Becuause surely this can be an opinion as well. "I think Spanish is hard"- that's my opinion, im not saying its the case for everyone, but its my personal belief. Thanks in advance.
5 Answers
I'm with you on the not understanding why "creo que" does not trigger the subjunctive.
But, just in case you don't know, "no creo que" does:
Creo que puedes quedarte aquí esta noche.
No creo que puedas quedarte aquí esta noche.
Veijito said:
If there is ever a hint of doubt…even implied…than subjunctive.
I recall that this is not always true for opinions. Take a look here.....
The subjunctive mood in Spanish is used after statements of doubt. Thus the subjunctive is used in "dudo que haga frío (I doubt it is cold, where haga is in the subjunctive mood). But statements of opinion — even when the opinion is expressed with less than full certainty — require the indicative mood. Thus one would say "me parece que hace frío" (it seems like it is cold, where hace is in the indicative mood)
A very interesting discussion. I always understood the subjunctive, not only in Spanish, to be an expression of personal views instead of a statement of facts. And when a person sees, hears, feels something, it is to be expected that he refers to these perceptions as facts. And expresses this by using the indicative. And when you don't see, hear, feel anything this doesn't mean that there isn't anything to see, hear or feel. So it looks perfectly sensible to me to use a subjunctive after no oír que, no ver que or no sentir que.
With verbs such as saber, pensar, creer in the affirmative it is possible that the speaker himself is quite certain about what he believes to be true. ----> indicative in affirmative subclauses.
Where it becomes tricky for me is with verbs that by their very meaning include a sense of doubt or uncertainty, such as suponer que, sospechar que, imaginar que, parecer que. Apparently in Spanish these statements of opinion still require the indicative mood in affirmative sentences. I'll try to remember this, but I can't make any further promises. 
"Es mi opinion que necesiten callarse" sounds awkward. - El_Mexicalen
I agree...I would use indicative (not subjunctive) here. Saying "It's my opinion that..." is very much the same as saying "I believe that....."
¿Cree Ud. que vienen? sounds awkward- El_Mexicalen
I agree...I would use subjunctive (not indicative) here. Saying "Do you believe that..." is full of possibility...the answer could be yes or no.
Tosh said:
I'm with you on the not understanding why "creo que" does not trigger the subjunctive.
I agree with the "creo que" confusion, but for a different reason. I think that they both (creo que, no creo que) should be indicative because they both state a fact....I do believe or I don't believe. Oh, well......best just to accept a language as is and learn the nuances. 
In a queston, creer is followed by a subjunctive if the speaker wants to express doubt. The meaning in the sentence decides whether or not a subjunctive is used.
¿Cree Ud. que vengan? Do you believe that they are coming? (I don’t)
¿Cree Ud. que vienen? Do you believe that they are coming? (I do)
¿Cree Ud. que vendrán? Do you believe that they will come? (I have no idea. Do you?
¿Crees que llueva mañana? Do you think it will rain tomorrow? ( it doesn’t look that way to me…thus, I have doubt)
If you fully believe or fully don’t believe something… than you are saying it as an absolute. So, no subjunctive.
If there is ever a hint of doubt…even implied…than subjunctive. (The speaker is in the drivers seat.
With an opinion
If your opinion exerts a will that someone do something….than subjunctive.
Es mi opinion que necesiten callarse. It’s my opinion (will) that they need to shut up. (They need to do something that they haven’t done yet….in my opinion)?
