Subjunctive: Part I (when to use it)

Question

All too frequently, the topic of the subjunctive is made far more difficult than is necessary. Let's try a slightly different approach, with the goal of making this topic less troublesome.

The subjunctive is not a tense; rather, it is a mood.

Tense refers to when an action takes place (past, present, future), while mood merely reflects how the speaker feels about the action.

The subjunctive mood is rarely used in English, but it is widely used in Spanish.

Here are some examples of the subjunctive being used in English:

The doctor recommends that he take the pills with food.

Subjunctive conjugation: he take not he takes

The law requires that you be 18 years old to vote.

Subjunctive conjugation: you be not you are.

If I were a rich man, I wouldn't have to work hard.

Subjunctive conjugation: I were not I was.

So far, you have studied verb tenses in the indicative mood. The indicative mood is used to express factual information, certainty, and objectivity.

Usted va al Perú en diciembre. You are going to Peru in December.

The above sentence merely reports the fact that you are going to Peru in December, so the indicative mood is used.

Let's change the above example slightly:

No dudo que usted va al Perú en diciembre. I don't doubt that you are going to Peru in December.

In the above sentence, the clause "no dudo" introduces a quality of certainty, -- the speaker has no doubt, so the indicative mood is used in the second clause (va) as well as the first (no dudo).

Let's make another slight change to our example:

Dudo que usted vaya al Perú en diciembre. I doubt that you are going to Peru in December.

In the above sentence, the clause "dudo" introduces a quality of uncertainty, -- the speaker does have doubt, so here the subjunctive mood is used in the second clause (vaya).

The subjunctive mood is used to express everything except certainty and objectivity: things like doubt, uncertainty, subjectivity, etc.

Yo dudo que usted vaya al Perú en diciembre. I doubt that you are going to Peru in December.

Since the above statement does not express certainty, the subjunctive (vaya) is required in the second clause.

The difference between indicative and subjunctive is the difference between certainty/objectivity (indicative) and possibility/subjectivity (subjunctive).

Thanks Ian. This is very helpful information for us all. :) - rac1, Aug 9, 2016

It is not all my own work - but I thought it worth sharing. - ian-hill, Aug 9, 2016

Well worth it mate , hope it is appreciated. - ray76, Aug 10, 2016

Very clear explanation, Ian ) - FELIZ77, Aug 10, 2016

I completely agree with everything you have said that is how I have come to understand it so far from teaching of Lazarus, Heidita, Daniela, Paralee and my own native Spanish teacher :) - FELIZ77, Aug 10, 2016

Thank you, Ian. :) - Findy, Aug 11, 2016

De nada amiga :) - ian-hill, Aug 11, 2016

Answer 1

¿Se puede conseguir en el humor?

A glass or two of beer or wine helps mate - then I get very subjunctive. - ian-hill, Aug 11, 2016

I had subjunctivitis once in my left eye , on my first honeymoon. - ray76, Aug 11, 2016

¡Ay, I'm in a really subjunctive mood right now! - Daniela2041, Aug 24, 2016