When expressing desires, expectations, or opinions about what someone else should do, Spanish uses the subjunctive mood.
Triggers for the Subjunctive
The subjunctive usually appears in the second half of a sentence, introduced by the word que (that). It is triggered by verbs of wishing (like desear or esperar) and impersonal expressions (like es justo or es lógico).
| I hope he splits the rent expense with me. | Espero que él divida el gasto del alquiler conmigo. |
Forming the Present Subjunctive
To form the present subjunctive for regular verbs, start with the present tense yo form, drop the final -o, and add the "opposite" vowel endings:
- -ar verbs take -e endings.
- -er and -ir verbs take -a endings.
| Pronoun | -ar (hablar) | -er / -ir (dividir) |
|---|---|---|
| yo | hable | divida |
| tú | hables | dividas |
| él / ella / usted | hable | divida |
| nosotros / nosotras | hablemos | dividamos |
| ellos / ellas / ustedes | hablen | dividan |
Regular -ar Verbs
| I want us to talk about the living arrangement. | Deseo que hablemos de la convivencia. |
| For a good living arrangement, it is logical that you wash your plate. | Para una buena convivencia, es lógico que laves tu plato. |
Regular -er and -ir Verbs
| It is fair that we split the rent. | Es justo que dividamos el alquiler. |
| It is logical that the guest does not break the rule. | Es lógico que la visita no rompa la regla. |
When NOT to Use the Subjunctive
Use the subjunctive only if there is a change in subject (e.g., "I want you to..."). If you are stating a general rule without a specific person in the second half of the sentence, use the infinitive instead.
| It is necessary to split the rent to improve the living arrangement. | Hay que dividir el alquiler para mejorar la convivencia. |
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