Problem with subjunctive

Question

Hello, I'm back. With another set of questions. Jajajaja.

I have an exercise.

I am supposed to add a verb in correct form.
No pienses que ya ....... (estar) todo solucionado..

No pienso que ya ..........(estar) todo solucionado.

I would like to ask you on difference between these 2 sentences. I was surprised when i found out that there is indicative in first and subjunctive only in second sentence. Why is that? Is it because the main clause of misread the first sentence indicates (I hope you don't think, don't you dare thinking) that everything is "surely" not solved and so it's certainty?

And also do negative pronouns like "nadie" work just like "no" before verbs like "pensar" or "creer"? If i use for example "nadie" before "pensar" or "creer" or any verb like these 2, do i need to use subjunctive or it stays in indicative. For example: Nadie pensaba que se enfadara por aquello.

Thanks for responses.

Daniel, I mistakingly deleted your question, thinking that I was deleting my answer. I used the history to put it back. Sorry. I hope it is OK now. - DilKen, Aug 8, 2017

Gekko: I'm surprised by No pienso que + indicative. I thought this almost always took the subjunctive. Can you point to a source that says otherwise? - DilKen, Aug 8, 2017

i would also like to know, these differences are too advanced for me (between "está" and "esté" after "no pienso que") - Daniel5841, Aug 8, 2017

Answer 1

I am a bit confused by this. Unless the instructions for the exercise were very precise and clear, I'd say that there is more than on option possible for each sentence, each one with a different meaning: No pienses que ya ....... (estar) todo solucionado..

• No pienses que ya está todo solucionado (Don't think that all's well now)
• No pienses que ya estará todo solucionado (Don't expect all will be fixed [when you get there])

No pienso que ya ..........(estar) todo solucionado.

• No pienso que ya está todo solucionado (I don't think all's well already)
• No pienso que ya estará / va a estar todo solucionado (I don't think all will be solved)
• No pienso que ya esté todo solucionado (I don't expect that all should be ready by now)

Gekko: ln most cases these exercises are just looking for a simple choice between indicative and subjunctive. - DilKen, Aug 8, 2017

If those are the instructions, then it's a lot clearer, yes. - Gekkosan, Aug 8, 2017

Gekko: I'm surprised by No pienso que + indicative. I thought this almost always took the subjunctive. Can you point to a source that says otherwise? - DilKen, Aug 8, 2017

Uh... You can ask Lazarus, of course, but that's how I speak. I'm just a simple lizard, I don't do grammar, and I wouldn't know an indicative if it was pointing straight at my face. - Gekkosan, Aug 9, 2017

Thank you so much for the examples, because it makes clear that what at first glance looks like subjunctive is actually imperative. Maybe I will live long enough to actually learn this.... - Echoline, Aug 9, 2017

Answer 2

I was surprised when i found out that there is imperative in first and subjunctive only in second sentence.

The first sentence has a command ("no pienses", when we deny the command it conjugates as the subjunctive but it is imperative. Check this article) and another verb in the indicative mood. You are telling someone what he or she should think. When you have a "mental" verb it will be followed by the indicative.

The first sentence has and indicative followed by a subjunctive. These kind of verbs, when denied, are followed by subjunctive.

And also do negative pronouns like "nadie" work just like "no" before verbs like "pensar" or "creer"? If i use for example "nadie" before "pensar" or "creer" or any verb like these 2, do i need to use subjunctive or it stays in indicative. For example: Nadie pensaba que se enfadara por aquello.

They do. You will say: Todos piensan que está bien. Nadie piensa que esté bien.

Great answer, Shameless :) - FELIZ77, Aug 8, 2017

May I suggest a small correction for you, please? ThESE kind of verbs, when denied, are followed etc.... - FELIZ77, Aug 8, 2017

Done! thanks :) - Shamelesspanish, Aug 8, 2017

Wow, what a great explanation! - Echoline, Aug 9, 2017

Answer 3

delete

Answer 4

And also do negative pronouns like "nadie" work just like "no" before verbs like "pensar" or "creer"? If i use for example "nadie" before "pensar" or "creer" or any verb like these 2, do i need to use subjunctive or it stays in indicative. For example: Nadie pensaba que se enfadara por aquello.

Interestingly, Lazarus, perhaps the best Spanish grammar expert who we have ever had on SpanishDict replied to the following post saying that either the subjunctive or indicative are commonly used and correct:

Hola foreros:

Mi libro de texto español afirma que la respuesta correcta es:

Nadie cree que ESTEMOS casados.

Lazarus wrote:
Tira tu libro de texto a la basura (o escribe al redactor para que corrija el error). Puedes decir tanto "estamos" como "estemos", dependiendo de si quieres declarar el hecho o no. Es más, te apuesto mi casa a que la Real Academia te dice lo mismo.

My translation of Lazarus:
Throw your textbook in the trash (or write the editor so that he corrects the error.) You can say either "estamos" or "estemos" depending on whether or not you want to declare the fact or not. What's more, I would bet my house that the RAE says the same thing.

Later on in the same post he made the following comment:

Si crees lo que dice la subordinada, usa indicativo; si prefieres mantener la distancia, usa subjuntivo. Ambos son correctos.

My translation: I you believe what is said in the subordinate clause, use the indicative. If you prefer to maintain your distance use the subjunctive. Both are correct.

By "maintain your distance" I believe he means: you are not stating whether you believe it to be true or that you believe it to be untrue. You are simply repeating what someone else may have said, and in your following sentences(s) you might declare something as a statement of your own belief by using the indicative. You also might state something that you do not believe with the subjunctive. You are just making a reference to this prior statement, not agreeing or disagreeing with it.

It get's a little complicated. But don't worry too much about it now. This is one of the finer points of Spanish grammar. There is plenty to learn which is much less ambiguous for now. If you worry about trying to resolve, in your mind, this kind a complexity too early in your learning journey you will get bogged down and not make the kind of progress that you could if you just sort of ignored it for now.

My advice in a case like this: Just think: "How interesting, I'll deal with this issue later."