indicative or subjunctive triggered

Question

Does this trigger the indicative or subjunctive?

Creo que es major que tú vienes/vengas.

I know that creo que does not trigger the subjunctive but es major que does but when they are together in a sentence I am not sure.

Great Question, Jec :) Please fill in your levels of proficiency in Spanish and English in your profile. Thank you :) - FELIZ77, Jun 12, 2015

Answer 1

Creo que es major que tú vengas. This is the correct variant. Subjunctive is used because the person in question has not yet come so in this case subjunctive indicates a future action that obviously has not occurred. This is just one of various reasons for using subjunctive.

Annie is right about this foreign-language approach called "triggers" for subjunctive. If you use this approach, you´ll never understand why subjunctive is used in certain situations. Also keep in mind that many times we have the choice of either subjunctive or indicative depending the desired nuance, so forget about "triggers" and learn the reasons of why subjunctive is used.

For example, we can say the same thing using indicative - although not common - Creo que es mejor tu acción de venir, and of course we can say it as Annie has suggested.

Cheers Julian, I wasn't sure what he wanted to say, actually. At least we can save ourselves having shoot-outs with verbs.. - annierats, Jun 12, 2015

Yes, but those "shoot outs with verbs" are where we learn the most. In my opinion. :):) - rac1, Jun 12, 2015

Answer 2

Are you trying to say: I think it would be better if you come/go?

If so I would suggest: Creo que sería mejor si vinieras ( tú) .

I'm only a student and this may not be the best solution, or indeed even a correct one. However, you're correct in saying that 'creo que' is followed by the indicative. I'm using the conditional in my example.

personally I feel that thinking of ' trigger-factors' makes people even more nervous of the subjunctive, it isnot a weapon and can, in cases of uncertainty, often be avoided.

Trigger, not a weapon, classic! :) - Kiwi-Girl, Jun 12, 2015