indicativo and subjuntivo
what is difrence between indicativo and subjuntivo in spanish grammar?when to you it?
2 Answers
I'll just cut and paste an answer I posted earlier today on the same kind of question ...
The whole idea of the subjunctive is not an easy one to put into a short answer. It often takes people years to use it properly. Basically the subjunctive is a mood rather than a tense so you can use it in the present past or future but it is used when you don't want to or you can't declare something. For example, if something hasn't happened yet you can't declare it to be a fact.
eg:
Here's an example using 'estar':
facts use the indicative mood. Está (you are / indicative) comiendo las fresas. You are eating the strawberries.
things you can't declare to be a fact take the subjunctive mood.
Lo haré cuando esté (you are / subjunctive) comiendo las fresas.
I'll do it when you are eating the strawberries.
You can't say 'you are eating the strawberries' here in the usual indicative mood because it hasn't happened yet, it's an anticipated event. So you have to use the subjunctive mood.
The subjunctive mood is also used when what is more important is how you feel about something. Ie. when you express an emotional reaction or opinion about something.
Here's another example using querer using the indicative (quiero / I want) and the subjunctive (quiera / also, I want)
Quiero comer fresas. I want to eat strawberries.
Me encanta que puedo comer fresas cuando quiera. I love that I can eat strawberries when I want.
Here the stress is on how you feel about eating strawberries instead of just declaring that you are eating straweberries. A perfect candidate for the subjunctive.
We use the subjunctive in English too but it's not as common:
Eg. i would buy a mansion if I 'were' rich.
The 'were' is the subjunctive.
This is the correct form to use here rather than 'was'.
As I said, a pretty heavy subject gramatically. Here's a game to practice if you fancy.
I think the second question is "when do you use it?"
