'Pienso que es una lastima' + subjuntivo?

Question

I know "es una lastima" triggers the subj, but how about pienso que es una lastima que..

Answer 1

Forget your triggers.

Es una lástima que perdiste tu trabajo. The lost job is a fact and the pity is a fact unless you don´t really mean it when you say it, or if you mean to say I feel it´s a pity in which case we normally say Qué lastima.... So this can be said with either indicative or subjunctive - it depends on what you wish to express.

Pienso que es una lastima que hayas perdido tu trabajo. Here you are clearly expressing emotion so subjunctive must be used.

yes, these triggers are misleading.Bette to think of these thins as set phrases.. I think, anyway. - annierats, Apr 16, 2013

Answer 2

My gut instinct tells me that yes, it would need the subjunctive.