subjunctive vs indicative

Grammar: Subjunctive vs Indicative

This page is not intended as an introduction to the subjunctive, but rather a thorough summary or review for students who have been introduced to the basic concept previously. For an introduction, see the Commands & Subjunctive page.

Subjunctive is used primarily to discuss things that are not experienced, hypothetical or denied.

There is no real equivalent of the the subjunctive as a verb form in English. Consequently, a sentence requiring the subjunctive is identified in terms of its overall structure. With one minor exception, you can't "see" any difference between an English verb in the indicative or in the subjunctive mood. There are a few somewhat formal structures that you will see: It's necessary that he go to the meeting. (Instead of the form "he goes") You will occasionally hear the structure in the English of non-natives: "Do you want that I do it?"

Uses of Subjunctive (a list of rules and exceptions.)

	Typically, the subjunctive appears in sentences that contain two clauses connected by a subordinating conjunction. Except in a single clause with maybe/perhaps: Tal vez, Quizás, Quizá, A lo mejor. (Tal vez sufra de amnesia.) Also, it is used in single clause structures that have this form: whether it be x or y. (Sea hombre o mujer) The "whether" is unnecessary because it is implied by the subjunctive itself.
	The grammatical subject of each clause must be different. A very common error of English speakers is the following: I hope that I can go--> Espero que yo pueda ir. This is incorrect because there was no shift of subject between the clauses, hence it is correctly expressed in Spanish as: Espero poder ir. This is untrue in emotional/subjective reaction and doubt structures like "Siento que"--I'm sorry that I can't go. I doubt that I'll be able to go.
	The independent clause must be indicative (tense other than subjunctive) or a command. However, you can chain these clauses together so that a first indicative clause introduces a subjunctive/subordinate clause that serves as an independent clause for a third subordinate clause. It is possible that the mood switches from indicative in the first, subjunctive in the second and indicative in the third. Es posible que tenga un amigo que entiende el español. (indicative, subjunctive, indicative) No creo que sea posible que vengan. (indicative, subjunctive, subjunctive)
	There are four possible forms of subjunctive that are determined by the verb form of the independent clause and the relative time of the second--when the dependent clause occurs in relation to the independent: Same time/future OR previous (past). A table is provided below to clarify the usages of these four forms. NOTE: The auxilliary verbs WILL, WOULD, MAY often appear in front of main verbs in subjunctive subordinate clauses in English. You should ignore these, as the subjunctive mood implies these ideas itself: I hope he will be there = Espero que él esté allí. I doubted that he would be there = Dudaba que él estuviera allí. We will do it even though he may not like it = Lo haremos aunque no le guste a él. (same as We will do it even if he doesn't like it.)

Verbal Moods: More on Uses of Subjunctive

	Spanish has three verbal moods: indicative (all the tenses), imperative (commands or "mandatos"), and subjunctive (present subjunctive, present perfect subjunctive, imperfect subjunctive and pluperfect subjunctive forms. The future subjunctive has been eliminated from Spanish, though it appears in Portuguese, and in old proverbs from the Renaissance.)
	Indicative mood means that the verb indicates a specific time (tense: Present, future, preterite, imperfect, conditional)
	Imperative mood means that the verb refers to an action that is demanded without specific reference to a point in time. It is understood that the action is unreal, non-experienced or in the future; hence, the connection between the imperative and subjunctive (all command form (imperative) conjugations are identical to the subjunctive except for tú & vosotros positive commands). Commands and subjunctive have important parallels but should be considered as completely distinct in their structure. Hence, it is not specifically correct to say that the Ud. command form is the same as the subjunctive, but rather, they look the same.
	Subjunctive mood is not a tense because it does not indicate a specific time.
	Subjunctive has a "tense" only in relation to the verb in the independent clause.
	This dependency & relative function characterize the subjunctive mood. See the table below for more on this.

When do you need subjunctive?

Assuming that all of the previous structural conditions are met (a dependent clause or following perhaps, maybe, whether x or y), you need it when the independent clause expresses one of the following relationships to or over the dependent clause:

	denial, doubt (Dudo que ella venga)
	will, command, prohibition, advice, etc. (Te aconsejo que no lo hagas)
	emotional reaction (Me alegro de que él perdiera la elección)
	non-experience or non-specific (Necesito un apartamento que tenga dos baños, pero no puedo encontrar ninguno que tenga dos. Vivo en un apartamento que tiene un baño.)
	cause & effect and contingencies--conditions necessary for something else to occur (Este problema causa que muchos sufran. No lo haré a menos que ellos me paguen más. Lo haré con tal de que me paguen más. Lo haré en cuanto me den el cheque.)
	hypothetical or contrary to fact statements (Lo haría si tuviera más dinero. El habla como si fuera el rey del mundo.)
	It is also used with most impersonal noun clauses. (Es necesario que estudiemos más.)

Common subjunctive structures

	want that, hope that, wish that, demand that, prohibit that, indirect (relayed) commands
	happy that, fear that, glad that, etc.
	It is necessary that, it is good that, etc.

Want that--Queremos que nos hablen.
Tell someone to-- Dígale que no me hable.
Doubt that (Dudo que),
Deny that (Niego que),
Don’t believe that (No creo que),
There are no... that (No hay ningún___ que),
is there any... that (¿Hay ____ que),
I need a .... that (Necesito un___ que),
I don’t have a .... that (No tengo un___ que),
Es necesario que, It doesn't mean that... (no quiere decir que, no significa que)

Indicative structures commonly mistaken for subjunctive by English speakers.

Parece que no hay tiempo. (it seems that)
Puede ser que no hay tiempo. (it could be that)
Siempre lo hago si puedo. (something happens if some condition is met)

Four Subjunctive forms, or the Sequence of Tenses

Tense of independent clause	Relative "tense" of dependent clause
	present or future	past (before)
Present, future, command, present perfect	1. present subjunctive	2. present perfect subjunctive or imperfect subjunctive
Present, future, command, present perfect	Siento que estés enfermo. Quiero que vengas.	Siento que hayas estado enfermo. OR Siento que estuvieras enfermo.
All past, conditional and remaining perfect tenses	3. imperfect subjunctive	4. pluperfect subjunctive
All past, conditional and remaining perfect tenses	Sentía que estuvieras enfermo. Quería que vinieras	Sentía que hubieras estado enfermo

The numbers from the boxes above correspond to the numbers below.

1. Independent Clause is present, command, future, present/future perfect WITH a Dependent Clause that happens at same time or after: use Present Subjunctive. (Pres. Subj.- indicates a relative present or future.) This is covered in Chapter 4 of Pasajes (end of SPAN 2000)

Quiero que vengas. Dudo que estudies. Dile que no lo haga. He querido que venga. Siento que estés enfermo.

2. Independent Clause is present, command, future or present/future perfect WITH a Dependent Clause that happens previous to the Independent Clause: use Imperfect Subjunctive or Present Perfect Subjunctive. NOTE: #2,3,4 are not officially part of the curriculum in SPAN 2000. You are not responsible for these until SPAN 2100.

Dudo que estudiara. Dudo que haya estudiado. Siento que estuviera enfermo. Siento que hayas estado enfermo.

3. Independent Clause is in any other indicative tense (past or conditional) WITH a Dependent Clause that happens at the same time or after: use Imperfect Subjunctive. (Imp. Subj. indicates a relative present, past or future. It is only a relative present if the main verb is in the past)

Quería que viniera. Dudaba que lo supiera. Había querido que viniera. Sentía que estuviera enfermo.

4. Indicative Clause is in the past or conditional tense WITH a Dependent Clause that occurs in the relative past from it: use the Pluperfect Subjunctive. This is the least common and most difficult. It is covered in SPAN 2100.

Sentía que hubiera estado enfermo. Dudaba que lo hubiera hecho.

** EXCEPTIONS TO THE TABLE: For hypothetical-contrary to fact structures using ....would... if ....., use the conditional in the main clause and the imperfect subjunctive for the dependent if the hypothetical condition is in the future. If the hypothetical situation already occurred, use conditional perfect (habría ido) in the main clause and the pluperfect subjunctive in the dependent clause (hubiera tenido).

Yo iría a España si tuviera el dinero.
Yo habría ido a España el verano pasado si hubiera tenido el dinero. (I would go to Spain if I had the money. I would have gone to Spain if I had had the money.) Should be box #4--Pluperfect, but it is imperfect subjunctive.

Another important exception to the table above:
You will wish that you had not done that. -- Esperarás que no hubieras hecho eso. (should be box #2--imperfect subjunctive or present perfect subjunctive, but it is the pluperfect subjunctive.

Connective phrases (conjuntions, adverbial clauses, etc.) and the Subjunctive.

In many cases, it is possible or desirable to connect two sentences with a connective phrase or word. The most obvious and common is the relative pronoun/conjunction "que" (that). As you will recall, the presence of this connector is a possible condition of a sentence requiring the subjunctive, but is not sufficient in itself to demand the use of the subjunctive. Other factors relating to the nature of the independent clause are essential. A simple rule helps us: if the "that/que" is functioning as a relative pronoun, the subjunctive cannot be used (except when the second clause is non-specific or denied). If the "that/que" is functioning as a subordinating conjunction, the subjunctive can be used. Click here for an extensive list of connective expressions.

Relative pronouns:
Ese es el hombre que me dio el dinero.
El meteorólogo dijo que va a llover hoy. (indicative for relaying information)
Sé que vamos a tener problemas.
Tengo el libro que querías. (indicative for specific, existent subject)
¿Hay alguien aquí que pueda hablar el ruso? (subjunctive for non-specific)
No creo que podamos hacerlo. (subjunctive for denial)

Subordinating conjunction:
Quiero que tú me dés el dinero. (subjunctive for will over another subject)
Ella me dijo que no hiciéramos eso. (subjunctive for relayed or reported command)
Es necesario que vengas

Coordinating conjunctions like if, and, or, but and because (si, y, o, pero, porque) do not ever require the subjunctive. ("If" does not use the subjunctive except if the independent clause is expressed in the past tense and the dependent clause is contrary to fact: Lo haría si tuviera el dinero. Lo voy a hacer si ellos me pagan. Notice that the latter example is not subjunctive.)

Coordinating conjunctions that do not use the subjunctive:

si* (except for contrary to fact statements in the past -- lo haría si pudiera. como si fuera)
porque
ya que, puesto que (since, given that)
y, o, pero, sino que

Subjunctive is also used with many conjunctions and adverbial structures. In most of these, it is necessary that the main clause indicate future or a modal verb indicating plans or desires about the future.

Future and Anticipated Actions

Lo haré cuando él me lo dé. Siempre lo hago cuando él me lo da.

Quiero salir cuando él llegue (future). Siempre prefiero salir cuando llega.

Vamos a hacerlo tan pronto como como nos lo expliquen. Lo hicieron tan pronto como descubrieron. (en cuanto has approximately the same meaning. Both are similar in usage to cuando.)

Hágalo hasta que te diga que dejes de hacerlo.

Ella siempre le lee cuentos hasta que se duerme. Ella le leyó hasta que se durmió.

Saldremos después (de) que llegue. Siempre salimos después que él viene. Nos fuimos después que llegó.

Known and Unknown:

Lo haré aunque él no lo quiera (even if he may not want it--don't know whether or not)

Lo haré aunque él no lo quiere (even though he doesn´t want it--do know what is wanted and the action occurs in spite of what is known.)

Haz lo que quieras. Haz lo que te dé la gana. (do whatever you want [and I don't know what it might be.])
Haz lo que quieres. Haz lo que te da la gana. (do what [I know] you want to do)

Póngalo donde quieras. (the speaker doesn't care where it is put.)
Póngalo donde quieres. (there was probably a dispute, and the speaker has agreed to the preference of the other.)

ALWAYS SUBJUNCTIVE:

Lo hago para que podamos terminar el trabajo.
Other similar connecting phrases: a fin de que (so that), de modo que

Lo hicimos antes de que él lo descubriera.

Lo haremos con tal (de) que no nos diga que no.
Other similar phrases: a condición de que (provided that)

Lo haremos a menos que no quiera que no lo hagamos. (unless)

Nos escapamos sin que nadie se fijara.

Some other interesting examples of the subjunctive:

El pobrecito no tiene quien le hable. The poor guy doesn't have anyone who will talk to him.

Sin dinero y sin nadie que me ayudara, tuve que meterme en el mundo de crimen. Without money and without anyone to help me, I had to get into the world of crime.

Ella estaba gritándoles a sus hijos para que se fueran a esconder donde los soldados no los encontraran.