What are subjunctive verbs in Spanish? I've learned them before but I don't understand them.
When talking about something that might or might not happen, a special tense called the subjunctive is often used. It’s not just a verb tense —it’s a MOOD—throwing some emotion or opinion into the sentence. Using the subjunctive can be tricky for English speakers, so the key is to remember it as the emotional, doubtful, hopeful MOOD. Things that MAY or MAY NOT happen —often opinions or wishes rather than hard facts. need any more help marc?
http://www.musicalspanish.com/tutorial/subjunctive.htm
thanks bob i mean i tried to post the link but it didn't allow it. lose.
thanks!
This is my favorite thing to explain. It becomes a "thought process." You need to see if it DID happen = indicative/fact or "may" or "might" but when you look into a crystal ball you can't tell if it did, would or will!
There are many reasons for using the Subjuntive = emotion, doubt, hope or wish, adverbs of time, etc. As you get to each aspect, we'll be glad to explain it further.
Sra
Subjunctive verbs in Spanish are a special verb form used to express subjective concepts such as desires, doubts, possibilities, emotions, suggestions, and hypothetical situations. They are used to convey actions or states that are not necessarily factual or certain.
To understand subjunctive verbs in Spanish, it's important to have a good grasp of verb conjugation. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to form and use subjunctive verbs:
1. Identify the stem of the verb: The stem is the part of the verb that remains constant throughout conjugation. For regular verbs, the stem is found by removing the -ar, -er, or -ir ending from the infinitive form.
2. Identify the ending for subjunctive verbs: For -ar verbs, the subjunctive endings are -e, -es, -e, -emos, -éis, -en. For -er and -ir verbs, the endings are -a, -as, -a, -amos, -áis, -an.
3. Determine the correct ending based on the subject of the sentence: The subjunctive endings vary depending on whether the subject is in the first, second, or third person, and whether it's singular or plural.
4. Combine the stem with the appropriate endings: Attach the subjunctive endings to the verb stem to form the correct conjugation.
For example, let's take the verb "hablar" (to speak) and form the subjunctive present tense:
- Yo hable (I speak)
- Tú hables (you speak)
- Él/ella/usted hable (he/she/you formal speak)
- Nosotros/nosotras hablemos (we speak)
- Vosotros/vosotras habléis (you all speak)
- Ellos/ellas/ustedes hablen (they/you all formal speak)
Now, it's important to note that the subjunctive is used in specific situations:
1. Expressing desires or wishes: "Espero que hables con ella" (I hope you speak with her).
2. Expressing doubts or uncertainty: "Dudo que venga a la fiesta" (I doubt he will come to the party).
3. Expressing possibilities or suggestions: "Es posible que llueva mañana" (It's possible that it will rain tomorrow).
4. Expressing emotions or opinions: "Me alegra que estés aquí" (I'm glad you're here).
5. Expressing hypothetical or unreal situations: "Si tuviera más tiempo, viajaría por el mundo" (If I had more time, I would travel the world).
By understanding the formation and usage of subjunctive verbs, you'll be able to express a wide range of subjective ideas and thoughts in Spanish. Practice regularly to become more comfortable with them, and don't forget to review irregular verbs that have unique conjugation patterns in the subjunctive tense.