Don't Use The Future Subjunctive - It's Nearly Obsolete

Question

I thought I would pass this along to everyone who is trying to learn the subjunctive as I am.

It seems that the future subjunctive tense is nearly obsolete and no one uses it anymore.

Today the present subjunctive is used for both present and future tenses where the subjunctive mood is called for.

I had been using (trying to anyway) the future subjunctive in some of bandits practice posts because I didn't know that it was no longer acceptable. So if you have been using it also, toss it out the window. You should be using the present subjunctive for present as well as future tenses. I hope this has been helpful.

If you want to read the article, it is here.

This is very helpful. However, let's also point out based on the artilcle that "You have no need to learn the future subjunctive for fully competent use of the language." :) - kireiprincess19, Sep 5, 2012

I thought that was what we were all trying to do...use the language fully and competently. However, if you wish to learn the future subjunctive, feel free to do so. - 0095ca4c, Sep 5, 2012

Margherite, I sent you a PM. Thanks for this information. It's been really helpful! - bandit51jd, Sep 5, 2012

Answer 1

Margherite,

Te felicito por tu contribución tan apropiada y útil. Siempre recuerdo que mi abuelo paterno (que era de las Islas Canarias) solía decir fuere y hubiere con cierta frecuencia. Y no fue sino hasta que comencé a estudiar gramática española que me di cuenta de lo anticuadas que eran esas palabras. Ejemplos de lo que decía mi abuelo: "¿Iremos a la playa" Si hubiere tiempo y dinero, claro que sí.

Congrats on such a timely and useful posting. I often remember my paternal grandfather (who came from the Canary Islands) used to say fuere and hubiere instead of sea/fuera or haya/hubiera. I started to realize how old-sounding these words were once I started studying Spanish Grammar. My grandfather would say the equivalent of: "Are we going to the beach? If there were time and money, of course.

Muchas gracias francobollo. I was hoping it would be useful for new learners. - 0095ca4c, Sep 5, 2012

Forgot to say that I love your graphic! :-) - 0095ca4c, Sep 6, 2012

Answer 2

It would be great if the SD conjugation tool had an asterik by this tense informing newbies about this and if Paralee would say something on the learning video... I think that is where I started to try to learn it? Anybody remember that? I actually think I did a thread about this a long time ago and Cordobesa explained a lot of it. I have no idea where the thread is, but I know it was a verb tense I was trying to learn and she said, forget it, we don't use it, spend your time on something more relevant.... she didn't say it like that... I just translated her polite & kind Spanish into my blunt and to the point English.

I just found this link of explanation:

future subjunctive as reported by Paralee

As the link says, 'Nowadays, the present subjunctive takes over all the cases that you would have used the future perfect, but you may still see it in literature or legal documents, so it is good to be able to recognize it." - kireiprincess19, Sep 5, 2012

good info guys! thanks! - kireiprincess19, Sep 5, 2012

Also about.com cites that "In current legal usage, where the future subjunctive is most common today, the form is used mostly in cases involving an indefinite person (translated "one who" or "he who") " - kireiprincess19, Sep 5, 2012

Hola katy! I think that would be a great idea. I say that because most of the verb charts that I was using for reference, still had the tense listed without any reference to it being so old fashioned. - 0095ca4c, Sep 5, 2012

I've sent a feedback in for Paralee. I know the video changes are not a quick and easy fix. I indicated I wasn't sure about the conjugation page and will pass on any information I receive. Good ideas, Katy. - bandit51jd, Sep 5, 2012

Answer 3

Now if we can just make the other subjunctive tenses obsolete as well. jajaja

I hope you are working on that very thing amigo! :-) Perhaps if we murder those tenses enough, someone will listen! :-) - 0095ca4c, Sep 6, 2012

The " future subjunctive is almost obsolete" , well that makes two of us , whoopee ! - ray76, Sep 6, 2012

Answer 4

For me all subjunctives are Sobsolutely,

jaja ian. If I had a magic want, everyone would use either simple present, past or future. :-) - 0095ca4c, Sep 5, 2012

totally agree! - kireiprincess19, Sep 5, 2012

Answer 5

Gracias... this is very good info to know. Have a nice day

De nada vazzxo. I wish you a nice day also. - 0095ca4c, Sep 6, 2012

Answer 6

Thanks for information, Margherite. It is really very helpful and useful. Gracias.

You're welcome iana. I know I will be very happy to strike one tense off the learning list. :-) - 0095ca4c, Sep 6, 2012

:-) - iana01, Sep 6, 2012

Answer 7

Here are some other links that discuss how to translate the future subjunctive.

Is there a future subjunctive in Spanish.

Hube vs. Había y El Subjuntivo Futuro

Answer 8

quisiera trabajar

:-) - 0095ca4c, Sep 5, 2012