DELE B2 Subjunctive vs Indicative Spanish: Practice Test & Review
The choice between subjunctive and indicative is the single most tested grammar point at B2. It appears after verbs and expressions of opinion, thought, and certainty — and the choice depends on whether the speaker asserts a fact or expresses doubt, denial, or evaluation. Getting it wrong changes the meaning of the sentence.
This page gives you a five-part practice quiz: an evaluation set to see where you stand, three practice sets to drill the contrast, and a challenge set to confirm mastery. The grammar review below covers the affirmative versus negative distinction, the impersonal expressions that trigger each mood, and the expressions that change meaning based on the mood they take.
Subjunctive versus indicative appears in every B2 reading and writing task. Master the contrast and you can handle any opinion or doubt sentence the exam throws at you. Ready? Start with the evaluation set below.
Grammar Guide
The Rule
The choice between subjunctive and indicative after expressions of opinion, thought, and certainty depends on whether the speaker asserts a fact or expresses doubt, denial, or evaluation. Affirmative statements of opinion and certainty take the indicative. Negative statements, doubts, and evaluations take the subjunctive. The mood changes the meaning: the indicative asserts, the subjunctive doubts or evaluates.
The Core Contrast
| Expression | Mood | Example | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Creo que | Indicative | Creo que viene. | I think he is coming. |
| No creo que | Subjunctive | No creo que venga. | I don’t think he is coming. |
| Pienso que | Indicative | Pienso que es verdad. | I think it’s true. |
| No pienso que | Subjunctive | No pienso que sea verdad. | I don’t think it’s true. |
| Es evidente que | Indicative | Es evidente que está aquí. | It’s evident that he is here. |
| No es evidente que | Subjunctive | No es evidente que esté aquí. | It’s not evident that he is here. |
The pattern is consistent: affirmative asserts, negative doubts.
Affirmative Speech and Thought Verbs
These verbs take the indicative when they are affirmative. They assert a fact or a belief.
| Verb | Example | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| creer | Creo que viene. | I think he is coming. |
| pensar | Pienso que es verdad. | I think it’s true. |
| decir | Dice que viene. | He says he is coming. |
| estar seguro de que | Estoy seguro de que viene. | I’m sure he is coming. |
| saber que | Sé que viene. | I know he is coming. |
Negative Speech and Thought Verbs
These verbs take the subjunctive when they are negative. They deny or doubt the fact.
| Verb | Example | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| no creer | No creo que venga. | I don’t think he is coming. |
| no pensar | No pienso que sea verdad. | I don’t think it’s true. |
| negar | Niega que venga. | He denies that he is coming. |
| no estar seguro de que | No estoy seguro de que venga. | I’m not sure he is coming. |
| no saber que | No sé que venga. | I don’t know that he is coming. |
Impersonal Expressions
Impersonal expressions with es or está follow the same pattern: affirmative takes the indicative, negative takes the subjunctive.
| Affirmative (indicative) | Negative (subjunctive) |
|---|---|
| Es evidente que… | No es evidente que… |
| Es verdad que… | No es verdad que… |
| Es cierto que… | No es cierto que… |
| Está claro que… | No está claro que… |
| Es obvio que… | No es obvio que… |
| Es indudable que… | No es indudable que… |
Expressions That Always Take the Subjunctive
Some impersonal expressions always take the subjunctive, regardless of whether they are affirmative or negative. These express evaluation, emotion, or possibility.
| Expression | Example | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| Es posible que | Es posible que venga. | It’s possible that he is coming. |
| Es probable que | Es probable que venga. | It’s probable that he is coming. |
| Es una pena que | Es una pena que no venga. | It’s a shame that he isn’t coming. |
| Es una lástima que | Es una lástima que no venga. | It’s a shame that he isn’t coming. |
| Me alegra que | Me alegra que venga. | I’m glad he is coming. |
| Es necesario que | Es necesario que venga. | It’s necessary that he comes. |
The difference: expressions of certainty take the indicative when affirmative; expressions of evaluation, emotion, or possibility take the subjunctive regardless.
Expressions That Change Meaning with the Mood
Some expressions change meaning depending on the mood they take.
| Expression | Indicative meaning | Subjunctive meaning |
|---|---|---|
| El hecho de que | The fact that (neutral) | The fact that (evaluated) |
| Aunque | Although (fact) | Even if (hypothesis) |
| Cuando | When (habitual) | When (future) |
| Como | Since (cause) | However (manner) |
The most common B2 case is aunque, which takes the indicative when the obstacle is a fact and the subjunctive when it is a hypothesis.
Fixed Expressions
| Expression | Meaning | Mood |
|---|---|---|
| Creo que | I think that | Indicative |
| No creo que | I don’t think that | Subjunctive |
| Es evidente que | It’s evident that | Indicative |
| No es evidente que | It’s not evident that | Subjunctive |
| Es posible que | It’s possible that | Subjunctive |
| Es una pena que | It’s a shame that | Subjunctive |
Common Mistakes
Using the subjunctive after affirmative creer.
Incorrect: Creo que venga.
Correct: Creo que viene.
Affirmative creer que takes the indicative.
Using the indicative after negative no creer.
Incorrect: No creo que viene.
Correct: No creo que venga.
Negative no creer que takes the subjunctive.
Using the indicative after es posible que.
Incorrect: Es posible que viene.
Correct: Es posible que venga.
Es posible que always takes the subjunctive.
Using the subjunctive after es evidente que (affirmative).
Incorrect: Es evidente que venga.
Correct: Es evidente que viene.
Es evidente que takes the indicative when affirmative.
Quick Decision Chart
| Ask yourself | Answer | Form |
|---|---|---|
| Is the main expression affirmative opinion or certainty? | Yes | Indicative |
| Is the main expression negative opinion or certainty? | Yes | Subjunctive |
| Is the main expression an evaluation or emotion? | Yes | Subjunctive |
| Is the main expression a possibility? | Yes | Subjunctive |
| Is the main verb a speech or thought verb? | Yes | Indicative if affirmative, subjunctive if negative |
| Is the main expression a certainty adjective? | Yes | Indicative if affirmative, subjunctive if negative |
Two Sentences That Show the Difference
Creo que viene.
I think he is coming.
Affirmative opinion: indicative.
No creo que venga.
I don’t think he is coming.
Negative opinion: subjunctive.
Es evidente que está aquí.
It’s evident that he is here.
Affirmative certainty: indicative.
No es evidente que esté aquí.
It’s not evident that he is here.
Negative certainty: subjunctive.
Es posible que venga.
It’s possible that he is coming.
Possibility: always subjunctive.
