Independent Wishes with "Que"
In Spanish, you can express a wish or hope for someone by starting a sentence with que followed directly by a verb in the present subjunctive.
This structure is a shortened version of a sentence starting with a verb of hoping, like Espero que... (I hope that...). By dropping the main verb, the wish becomes direct. You will hear this very often when wishing someone well.
| May you find your friend on the platform soon! | ¡Que encuentres pronto a tu amiga en el andén! |
| May you have a comfortable and safe journey! | ¡Que tengas un trayecto cómodo y seguro! |
These are often framed with exclamation marks to emphasize the emotion of the wish.
Third-Party Wishes and Indirect Commands
This que + subjunctive structure is also used to express a hope or an indirect command about a third party, a situation, or an object. In English, this often translates to "May the..." or "Let them...".
| May the train on track two leave on time! | ¡Que el tren de la vía dos salga puntual! |
| May they repair the loudspeaker soon! | ¡Que reparen pronto el altavoz! |
Expressing Purpose: "Para que"
While independent wishes stand on their own, the present subjunctive is also used to connect two halves of a sentence with para que (so that).
Unlike an independent wish, para que explains the purpose behind an action. The action in the main clause is done so that the action in the subjunctive clause can happen.
| You are crying on the platform so that I do not leave. | Lloras en el andén para que no me vaya. |
| I am giving you this money so that you make the most of it. | Te doy este dinero para que lo aproveches. |
¡A ver si…!
¡A ver si…! expresses a hope, and it takes the indicative, not the subjunctive: ¡A ver si nos *vemos pronto! ¡A ver si mañana hace sol!*
