The Subjunctive

1. The Subjunctive

2. The Subjunctive • In this slide show, we are going to look at a verb form that has all but disappeared from English – the subjunctive!

3. A few examples • I want you to give me $5. • Tom would like us to arrive before 5:00 am. • I order you to stop! • In these three examples, one person is trying to get another person to perform an action.

4. I want you to give me $5. • One person (I) wants another person (you) to do something (give $5). • However, there is no guarantee that you will give me $5 just because I want you to.

5. Tom would like us to arrive before 5:00 am. • Likewise, one person (Tom) wants someone else (us) to do something (arrive before 5:00 am). • There is no guarantee that we will do so just because Tom would like that.

6. I order you to stop! • This sentence is more forceful: one person (I) is telling another person (you) to do something (stop). • Again, we don’t know if you will stop despite the admonition.

7. The subjunctive • In Spanish, we use a special verb form to show that the completion of these actions – give, arrive, stop – may or may not occur. This form is called the subjunctive (like the word “subjective” – influenced by opinions).

8. Examples in Spanish • I want you to give me $5 >> • Quiero que me des $5. • Tom would like us to arrive before 5:00 am >> • Tom quiere que lleguemos antes de las 5:00. • I order you to stop >> • Te mando que pares.

9. The forms of the subjunctive Before we learn usage, we must learn the forms we will be working with. Think of it as learning the mechanics or “nuts and bolts” before assembling the tool. For all but six verbs in Spanish, we can apply a simple three-step process with which to construct the forms. Step 1: Start with the yo form of the verb in the present tense (this applies to all three conjugations): hablo como vivo

10. The forms of the subjunctive Step 1: Start with the yo form of the verb in the present tense (this applies to all three conjugations): hablo como vivo If we are careful to begin with this step, verbs with irregular stems and yo forms will be included and will not be considered irregular in the subjunctive: conocer → conozco oír → oigo tener → tengo decir → digo pedir → pido traer → traigo dormir → duermo venir → vengo perder → pierdo hacer → hago ver → veo querer → quiero

11. The forms of the subjunctive Step 2: Take off the final o of the yo form: habl o com o viv o Step 3: Add the “opposite” endings: For -ar verbs: Add -er verb endings. habl e habl emos habl es habl éis habl e habl en Notice that the first- and third-person singular forms are identical.

12. The forms of the subjunctive Step 3: Add the “opposite” endings: For -er and -ir verbs: Add -ar verb endings to both. com a com amos com as com áis com a com an viv a viv amos viv as viv áis viv a viv an Again, first- and third-person singular forms are identical.

13. The forms of the subjunctive Stem-changing -ar and -er verbs have the same stem changes as in the present indicative. perder (e  ie) pierda pierdas pierda perdamos pierdan recordar(o  ue) recuerde recuerdes recuerde recordemos recuerden Remember, however, that stem changes do not apply to nosotros forms.

14. The forms of the subjunctive You may recall the third-person singular and plural changes that occur in the preterit of stem-changing -ir verbs. preterit dormir  dormí dormiste durmió dormimos dormisteis durmieron u These changes occur only in stem-changing -ir verbs. The same changes occur in the nosotros and vosotros forms of the subjunctive. duerma duermas duerma durmamos durmáis duerman present subjunctive

15. The forms of the subjunctive You may recall the third-person singular and plural changes that occur in the preterit of stem-changing -ir verbs. preterit mentir  mentí mentiste mintió mentimos mentisteis mintieron i mintamos mintáis mientan mienta mientas mienta present subjunctive

16. The forms of the subjunctive You may recall the third-person singular and plural changes that occur in the preterit of stem-changing -ir verbs. preterit servir  serví serviste sirvió servimos servisteis sirvieron i sirvamos sirváis sirvan sirva sirvas sirva present subjunctive

17. The forms of the subjunctive The following spelling changes occur in all forms of the present subjunctive with verbs whose infinitives end in -car, -gar, and -zar. -car c  qu -gar g  gu -zar z  c buscar llegar empezar busque llegue empiece busques llegues empieces busque llegue empiece busquemos lleguemos empecemos busquéis lleguéis empecéis busquen lleguen empiecen

18. The forms of the subjunctive There are only six truly irregular verbs, that is, verbs to which we cannot apply our three-step process. When listed in the following order, the initial letters of each verb form the acronym DISHES, a useful memory device. dé, des, dé, demos, deis, den Dar  Ir  Ser  Haber  Estar  Saber  vaya, vayas, vaya, vayamos, vayáis, vayan sea, seas, sea, seamos, seáis, sean haya, hayas, haya, hayamos, hayáis, hayan esté, estés, esté, estemos, estéis, estén sepa, sepas, sepa, sepamos, sepáis, sepan

19. A few examples • What are the subjunctive forms of the following verbs? • hablar • hable, hables, hable, hablemos, hablen • comer • coma, comas, coma, comamos, coman • vivir • viva, vivas, viva, vivamos, vivan

20. Too easy! • How about some trickier ones? • Salir • Salga, salgas, salga, salgamos, salgan • Remember to start with the yo form, salgo • Ser • Sea, seas, sea, seamos, sean • The yo forms that don’t end in –o are irregular in the command form and, consequently, the subjunctive. • Comenzar • Comience, comiences, comience, comencemos, comiencen • Remember that stem-changing verbs don’t change in the nosotros form!

21. A few tricky ones • Dormir • Duerma, duermas, duerma, durmamos, duerman • Servir • Sirva, sirvas, sirva, sirvamos, sirvan • Stem-changing IR verbs change in the nosotros form.

22. The usage of the subjunctive The subjunctive normally occurs in the subordinate clause of a two-part sentence (hence the term subjunctive) and generally is preceded by the relator que or an adverb such as cuando, donde, etc. Normally, the main clause has a different subject and verb than the subordinate clause. main clause subordinate clause Yo quieroque Juan vaya a la fiesta. S1 V1 S2 V2

23. The usage of the subjunctive If there is no change of subject, that is, if the subject of the main clause is the same as that of the subordinate clause, the subjunctive is generally not used, especially with verbs of volition, such as querer, and verbs that express emotion. main clause subordinate clause Yo quieroqueyo vaya a la fiesta. S1 V1 S1 V2 Although there are two different verbs . . . . . . there is only one subject.

24. The usage of the subjunctive If there is no change of subject, that is, if the subject of the main clause is the same as that of the subordinate clause, the subjunctive is generally not used, especially with verbs of volition, such as querer, and verbs that express emotion. In these cases only one clause is necessary . . . Yo quieroir a la fiesta. S AV INF . . . utilizing a subject, auxiliary verb, and infinitive.

25. Now let’s put this all together. • Quiero que me des $5. • Tom quiere que lleguemos antes de las 5:00. • Te mando que pares.

26. Tom quiere | que | lleguemos antes de las 5:00. • The sentence structure in Spanish is a bit different from that of English. A word-for-word translation is “Tom wants that we arrive before 5:00.” • The word que is used to divide the sentence into two halves – the expression of wish or desire (Tom quiere) and the action that may or may not occur (lleguemos). • The verb in the first half uses the “normal” (“indicative”) form, while the verb in the second half uses the subjunctive.

27. Notice… • … that the subject in the first half is always different from the subject in the second half: • Quiero que me des $5. • Tom quiere que lleguemos... • Te mando que pares. • The first subject is trying to spur the second subject into action, and we don’t know if the action will ever happen.

28. Compare this… • … to sentences where there is no change in subject: • Quiero salir ahora. • Tom quiere llegar a las 5. • Me gustaría comer pizza. • When the subject is the same, there is higher probability that the second action will take place. We use the infinitive (-r form of the verb) after verbs that express wishes, wants, and desires.

29. Let’s practice! • What are the appropriate subjunctive forms of the verbs in parentheses? • Quiero que tú _____ (venir) a las 3:00 en punto. • Quiero que tú vengas a las 3:00 en punto. • We use the subjunctive because there is a change in subject after a verb of desire (quiero).

30. ¡Quiero que me des otro! • ¿Quieres que nosotros ______ (ir) al cine o a la playa esta tarde? • Pues, quiero que ______ (quedarse = stay) en casa porque hace frío. • ¿Quieres que nosotros vayamos al cine o a la playa esta tarde? • Pues, quiero que nos quedemos en casa porque hace frío.

31. Uno más… • Espero [I hope] que tu hermana ____ (hacer) bien en sus exámenes. • Espero que tu hermana haga bien en sus exámenes. • We use the subjunctive because we aren’t sure whether the second action will occur (Will your sister do well on her exams? That remains to be seen!).

32. Más ejemplos • Mi mamá quiere que yo ____ (ser) doctor, y mi papá espera que _____ (estudiar) para ser ingeniero, pero yo quiero ____ (ser) actor. • Mi mamá quiere que yo sea doctor, y mi papá espera que estudie para ser ingeniero, pero yo quiero ser actor • There is no change in subject in the third expression (“yo quiero”), so we don’t use the subjunctive!

33. Otro uso • Lo siento [I’m sorry] que tu abuela ____ (estar) enferma. Espero que ___ (mejorarse = to get better) pronto. • Lo siento que tu abuela esté enferma. Espero que se mejore pronto. • Another use of the subjunctive is with verbs of “regret,” such as saying “I’m sorry.” This is a little different from the other uses in that the second action has actually happened (i.e., your grandmother really is sick), but the subject in the first half is expressing an opinion and is therefore ‘influencing’ the second verb.

34. U. W. E. I. R. D. O. • Here’s an acronym to help you organize the major uses of the subjunctive: • U. W. E. I. R. D. O.

35. U. W. E. I. R. D. O. • Uncertainty: • No creo [I don’t believe] que Laura venga a la fiesta. • No pienso que pueda venir. • Tal vez [perhaps]llegue tarde hoy por el tráfico.

36. The Spanish Subjunctive Notice the following examples: Creo que Luis va a Cartagena. I believe that Luis is going to Cartagena. (Certainty: indicative) No creo que Luis vaya a San Andrés. I don’t think that Luis is going to San Andrés. (Uncertainty: subjunctive)

37. U. W. E. I. R. D. O. • Wishes • Quiero que tú puedas visitarme durante las vacaciones.

38. U. W. E. I. R. D. O. • Emotion • Me alegro que hayas recibido una “A” en la clase de historia. • Me enfada [it angers me] que Juan no trabaje más en este proyecto.

39. The usage of the subjunctive Following are some common verbs and expressions that express emotion. gustar alegrarse (de) apenar asombrar sorprender entristecer temer esperar sentir estar alegre, contento, triste, etc.

40. U. W. E. I. R. D. O. • Impersonal expressions • Es ridículo que Gloria sea la presidenta del club de alemán – ella recibió una “D-” en su clase el semestre pasado. • Impersonal expressions don’t have a “human” subject. • Some impersonal expressions in Spanish include: es bueno, es malo, es necesario, es difícil, es imposible, es triste…

41. The usage of the subjunctive Following are some common impersonal expressions. The expressions will always be followed by ‘que’. es importante es permisible es necesario es preferibleesmejoresurgente es triste esuna lástima es maravilloso es bueno es terrible es horroroso es fantástico es dudoso es (im)posible No es verdad No es cierto

42. U. W. E. I. R. D. O. • Regret • Lo siento que tu abuela esté enferma. • Lamento que no podamos asistir a la reunión.

43. U. W. E. I. R. D. O. • Doubt • Dudo que alguien sea capaz de sacar un 100% en el examen final de física – ¡es un curso muy difícil!

44. The usage of the subjunctive Following are some common verbs and expressions that express doubt: No creer No estar seguro No jurar No afirmar No confirmar No asegurar NegarDudar No poder creer

45. U. W. E. I. R. D. O. • Order • Te mando que pares. • Te prohibo que uses tus apuntes [notes] durante el examen.

46. The usage of the subjunctive Following are some common verbs and expressions that might be used to give orders querer insistir recomendar mandar pedir permitir aconsejar obligar necesitarsugeririmpedir prohibir no permitir

47. The usage of the subjunctive Finally, the subjunctive is always used after the following phrases (and a few other similar ones). When listed in the order shown below, they form the acronym ESCAPA, a useful memory device. E en caso de que (in case) S sin que (without, unless) con tal (de) que (provided that) C antes (de) que (before) A (so that, in order that) P para que a menos que A (unless)

48. Wow! • That’s a lot!! • If you continue your studies in Spanish, you will be certain to see these uses and many others.