Subjunctive
Subjuntivo
Present, imperfect, and future subjunctive forms and their uses.
Present subjunctive
Presente de subjuntivo
Use the Present Subjunctive when you’re not just stating a fact, but:
- Showing how you feel about something, want it, hope for it, doubt it, or judge it – you’re reacting to the situation, viewing it through the lens of your personal attitude;
- Talking about something that isn’t known, hasn’t happened yet, or might never happen.
You’ll often see the Subjunctive mood after que in complex sentences. But it’s not always the rule: when expressing beliefs or affirmations, like “creo que…” or “es obvio que…”, the Indicative is used instead.
The Present Subjunctive is used to talk about both the present and the future, and there are dozens of different situations where it’s required. Developing an intuition for its use takes time, but to start, you can focus on the two key rules mentioned above: personal attitude and not-real-yet scenarios.
Examples
Quiero que vengas conmigo
I want you to come with me
Coming is not a sure thing – it’s just wanted.
Es triste que vivan tan lejos
It’s sad that they live so far away
While it’s a fact that they do live far away, the speaker shares a personal feeling about it.
¡Que te vaya bien!
Hope it goes well for you!
Common farewell that expresses a wish.
Es posible que llueva mañana
It’s possible that it will rain tomorrow
Uncertainty about an event in the future.
Me acostaré cuando se ponga el sol
I’ll go to bed when the sun sets
Sun setting is certain, but it’s a future condition that is not yet real at the time of speaking.
Te lo explico para que lo entiendas
I’ll explain it so that you understand it
“Para que…” always triggers the Subjunctive because it introduces a future goal or intention that may or may not actually happen.
Busco un profesor que hable japonés
I’m looking for a professor who speaks Japanese
Not sure if such a person exists here; compare it to using the Indicative when looking for a certain professor: “Busco al profesor que habla japonés.”
Imperfect subjunctive (-ra)
Imperfecto de subjuntivo (-ra)
The Imperfect Subjunctive is used for expressing personal attitudes like feelings, desires, hopes, doubts or judgements, along with talking about imaginary situations both in the past and the present. English speakers know the feeling of this tense through phrases like “If I were rich, I’d…,” where “were” is actually an English subjunctive form.
Unlike the Present Subjunctive, it can also describe events that actually happened, when they’re in a subordinate clause – a part of the sentence that depends on another part, often separated with “que…”
Note: There are two versions of this tense (with -ra and -se endings), but -ra is by far the most common. Use it by default.
Examples
Si tuviera dinero, viajaría por el mundo
If I had money, I would travel the world
A hypothetical “what if” situation in the present, the imaginary result viajaría uses the Conditional tense.
Me miró como si no me conociera
He looked at me as if he didn’t know me
A hypothetical “as if” situation in the past.
Quería que vinieras a mi fiesta
I wanted you to come to my party
A wish expressed in the past.
Ojalá estuvieras aquí
Wish you were here
A wish expressed in the present, contrary to actual reality.
Hicieron que esperáramos una hora
They made us wait for an hour
The waiting really happened, but the verb is in a subordinate clause triggered by “hicieron que”, which requires the subjunctive.
Future subjunctive
Futuro de subjuntivo
Rare or historical
The Future Subjunctive is a nearly obsolete verb form once used to express uncertainty about future events – similar to “whatever may happen…” in older English. In modern Spanish, it has been replaced by the Present Subjunctive.
You may still encounter it in literature, legal texts, or fixed expressions, but for everyday communication and learning purposes, treat it as a historical curiosity. Focus instead on mastering the Present Subjunctive for expressing future uncertainty or hypothetical situations.
Examples
Adonde fueres, haz lo que vieres
Wherever you go, do what you see others do
Traditional proverb meaning “When in Rome, do as the Romans do” – in modern Spanish one would say “Adonde vayas, haz lo que veas” in the Present Subjunctive.
El que fuere encontrado culpable será castigado
He who is found guilty will be punished
Extremely formal/legal style; in everyday Spanish it’s “El que sea encontrado culpable…” in the Present Subjunctive.
