Stem changes in the subjunctive
In the present subjunctive, -ar and -er stem-changing verbs behave just as they do in the present indicative. Stem changes (e -> ie or o -> ue) apply to all forms except nosotros and vosotros.
Verbs with e -> ie changes
Take cerrar (to close). The e changes to ie, except for the nosotros and vosotros forms:
| Subject | Cerrar (e -> ie) |
|---|---|
| yo | cierre |
| tú | cierres |
| él/ella/usted | cierre |
| nosotros/as | cerremos |
| vosotros/as | cerréis |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | cierren |
| I need you to close the blind, please. | Necesito que cierres la persiana, por favor. |
| I prefer that we close the curtains. | Prefiero que cerremos las cortinas. |
Verbs ending in -gar need an additional spelling change to preserve the hard "g" sound (g -> gu). For example, fregar (to wash) becomes friegue in the subjunctive.
| I want the boy to wash the dishes today. | Quiero que el niño friegue la vajilla hoy. |
| I usually wash the dishes, but I prefer that you wash them. | Suelo fregar la vajilla, pero prefiero que tú la friegues. |
Verbs with o -> ue changes
Verbs like mover (to move) and resolver (to solve) follow the same pattern, changing their o to ue in all forms except nosotros and vosotros.
| I hope the manager solves my complaint today. | Ojalá el gerente resuelva mi queja hoy. |
| The boss needs us to solve the clients' complaints. | La jefa necesita que resolvamos las quejas de los clientes. |
| It is important that you (pl.) solve the complaint quickly. | Es importante que resolváis la queja rápido. |
Just like fregar, stem-changing verbs ending in -gar need the gu spelling change. For example, colgar (to hang) becomes cuelgue.
| Madam, I beg you to hang your coat on the coat rack. | Señora, le ruego que cuelgue su abrigo en el perchero. |
| Give it to him! I need him to hang the jacket on the coat rack. | ¡Dásela! Necesito que él cuelgue la chaqueta en el perchero. |
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