Introduction to the Subjunctive in Spanish: A2 Grammar Guide

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Key Takeaways

• Understand what the subjunctive mood is and when it’s used in Spanish
• Learn the WEIRDO acronym to remember subjunctive triggers
• Master the conjugation patterns for regular verbs in present subjunctive
• Practice forming basic subjunctive sentences with common triggers
• Recognize the difference between indicative and subjunctive moods

Discover the Mood of Doubt and Desire

The subjunctive isn’t a tense—it’s a mood that expresses doubt, desire, emotion, possibility, and other non-factual situations. While it might seem challenging at first, the subjunctive is essential for expressing yourself fully in Spanish. Think of it as the language of “what if” and “I wish” rather than “what is.”

What is the Subjunctive? (¿Qué es el Subjuntivo?)

The indicative mood states facts: “He is here.” (Él está aquí.)
The subjunctive mood expresses non-facts: “I doubt he is here.” (Dudo que él esté aquí.)

Key Concept: The subjunctive usually appears in dependent clauses after “que” (that).

The WEIRDO Acronym: When to Use Subjunctive

Remember WEIRDO – the six main situations that trigger the subjunctive:

W – Wishes (Deseos)

• “I want you to be happy.” → Quiero que estés feliz.

E – Emotions (Emociones)

• “I’m happy you are here.” → Me alegra que estés aquí.

I – Impersonal Expressions (Expresiones Impersonales)

• “It’s important you study.” → Es importante que estudies.

R – Recommendations (Recomendaciones)

• “I recommend you go.” → Recomiendo que vayas.

D – Doubt/Denial (Duda/Negación)

• “I doubt he knows.” → Dudo que sepa.

O – Ojalá (Hopefully)

• “Hopefully it rains.” → Ojalá llueva.

Present Subjunctive Conjugations (Conjugaciones del Presente de Subjuntivo)

Subject	-AR Verbs (Hablar)	-ER Verbs (Comer)	-IR Verbs (Vivir)
Yo	hable	coma	viva
Tú	hables	comas	vivas
Él/Ella/Usted	hable	coma	viva
Nosotros/Nosotras	hablemos	comamos	vivamos
Vosotros/Vosotras	habléis	comáis	viváis
Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes	hablen	coman	vivan

💡 Grammar Tip: For -AR verbs, use -ER/-IR endings from present indicative, and for -ER/-IR verbs, use -AR endings! It’s like switching the endings.

Stem-Changing Verbs in Subjunctive

Verbs that stem-change in present indicative also change in subjunctive:

Verb Type	Example	Yo (Subjunctive)	Translation
E → IE	pensar	piense	I think
O → UE	poder	pueda	I can
E → I	pedir	pida	I ask for

Important: Nosotros and Vosotros forms keep the stem change in -IR verbs only:

• pensar: piense, pienses, piense, pensemos, penséis, piensen
• pedir: pida, pidas, pida, pidamos, pidáis, pidan

Common Subjunctive Triggers

Verbs that Often Trigger Subjunctive:

Category	Spanish Verb	Example Sentence
Wishes	querer	Quiero que vengas. (I want you to come.)
Emotions	alegrarse	Me alegro que estés bien. (I’m glad you’re well.)
Recommendations	recomendar	Te recomiendo que estudies. (I recommend you study.)
Doubt	dudar	Dudo que llueva. (I doubt it will rain.)
Impersonal	es importante	Es importante que hables. (It’s important you speak.)

Putting It All Together: Subjunctive in Action

Conversation 1: Making Plans
Ana: Quiero que vengas a mi fiesta el sábado.
Carlos: Me alegra que me invites. Espero que podamos ir.
Ana: Es importante que llegues temprano.
Carlos: Dudo que llegue antes de las 8, pero intentaré.

Translation:
Ana: I want you to come to my party on Saturday.
Carlos: I’m glad you’re inviting me. I hope we can go.
Ana: It’s important that you arrive early.
Carlos: I doubt I’ll arrive before 8, but I’ll try.

Conversation 2: Giving Advice
Madre: Es mejor que estudies para el examen.
Hijo: No creo que sea necesario. Ya sé el material.
Madre: Prefiero que repases un poco más.
Hijo: Está bien. Espero que tengas razón.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Using subjunctive in main clauses: Subjunctive usually comes after “que” in dependent clauses.
2. Forgetting stem changes: Stem-changing verbs keep their changes in subjunctive.
3. Using subjunctive with certainty: If you’re certain, use indicative: “Creo que va” (I think he’s going).
4. Mixing up endings: Remember the switch: -AR verbs get -ER/-IR endings, and vice versa.
5. Overusing subjunctive: Only use it when there’s a trigger (WEIRDO situation).

Quick Reference Chart

Category	Key Point	Example
WEIRDO	Wishes, Emotions, Impersonal, Recommendations, Doubt, Ojalá	Quiero que vengas.
-AR Endings	-e, -es, -e, -emos, -éis, -en	hable, hables, hable…
-ER/-IR Endings	-a, -as, -a, -amos, -áis, -an	coma, comas, coma…
Stem Changes	Same as present indicative	piense, pueda, pida
Trigger Words	querer, alegrarse, dudar, es importante, ojalá	Espero que vengas.

Practice Exercise: Identify the Trigger

Identify which WEIRDO category each sentence belongs to:

1. “Es bueno que estudies.” (It’s good that you study.)
2. “Quiero que me llames.” (I want you to call me.)
3. “Dudo que venga.” (I doubt he’s coming.)
4. “Ojalá ganemos.” (Hopefully we win.)

Answers:

1. I (Impersonal expression)
2. W (Wish)
3. D (Doubt)
4. O (Ojalá)

📚 Ready for more? Continue your subjunctive journey: Present Subjunctive Conjugation: Complete Guide

Ready to Practice?

Think you understand when to use the subjunctive? Test your knowledge with our beginner-friendly quiz!

Take Our Subjunctive Introduction Quiz ►

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