Subjunctive ayudar por favor!
Hola,
Por favor tell me what is wrong here:
Es una lástima que la gente no (reciclar) más.
To me this is a general statement so I do not think reciclar is suppose to be conjugated. Is that correct or am I missing something here?
7 Answers
"Recicle". Always... almost always... the subjunctive is used when "lástima" or similar words are used. I can't think of a single case where the subjunctive would not be used. But, I am not perfect, and I could be mistaken. You may think it a "pity", but others may not, and this implies doubt: therefore, the subjunctive.
Yes, it supposed to be conjugated.
EDIT: 4-17-13
Pitty that Robin hasn't been here lately...
Anyway, since I do not my own grammar, I am going to explain it like this.
Es una lástima que la gente no recicle más.
It is a pity (that) people don't recycle anymore/more.
To me, both of the above sentences are in Subjunctive ... 
Robin said:
To me this is a general statement so I do not think reciclar is suppose to be conjugated. Is that correct or am I missing something here?
You have a great point because we wouldn't conjugate the infinitive verb after "The people don't...ski...swim...recycle..."
However, in Spanish the people are doing the action (or in this case not doing the action) so you must conjugate the verb to match "la gente" (which is singular.)
Es una lástima que la gente no recicle más
This is a Subjunctive form: It changes the verbs finished in ar to e, in er and ir to a.
So the verb reciclar cambia para recicle.
Ok?
I hope I can help you with the simple explanation
bye!
Yes you need the present subjunctive 'recicle'.
The reason that it's the subjunctive is that it is an impersonal expression and you are not declaring that people don't recycle (for this you would use the normal indicative mood) - instead the purpose of your sentence is to say how you feel about it.
For this reason you use the present indicative to declare how you feel:
Es una lástima (a declaration in the present indicative)
que
la gente no recicle más. (extra information provided for a reason other than to declare it - the subjunctive).
Rather than try to remember all the reason's why the subjunctive may be used (wishes, doubt, emotion, denial, impersonal expressions etc etc) it may be easier to remember that if your reason for adding this information is not to declare it (ie. either the info is already known or it is not the important part of the sentence) then you will more than likely use the subjunctive.
¿sin qué cosa no puedes vivir?
