Impersonal Expressions with Subjunctive in Spanish: A Complete B1 Guide
◄ Back to B1 Grammar Hub || Practice with Our Impersonal Expressions Quiz ►
You already know the subjunctive is triggered by emotion and doubt. One of its most common uses at B1 is with impersonal expressions — phrases that start with Es… (It is…) and express an opinion, a judgment, a necessity, or a doubt about an action in a subordinate clause. Es importante que estudies (It’s important that you study), Es posible que llueva (It’s possible it will rain), Es una lástima que no vengas (It’s a pity you’re not coming). These constructions let you voice opinions and make statements about situations — with a grammatical sophistication that signals real intermediate fluency.
Key Takeaways
- Structure: Es + adjective / noun + que + [subjunctive or indicative clause].
- Most impersonal expressions take the subjunctive — those expressing opinion, judgment, necessity, or doubt.
- A small set takes the indicative — those expressing certainty or fact (es cierto que, es verdad que, es obvio que).
- Negation flips the mood. Es verdad que viene (indicative) → No es verdad que venga (subjunctive).
- No que → no subjunctive. Es importante que hables vs. Es importante hablar.
- High-frequency expressions to memorize for speaking and writing — es importante, es necesario, es posible, es probable, es mejor, es una lástima.
What Impersonal Expressions Are
Impersonal expressions are phrases where the grammatical subject is an unspecified “it” (es). They don’t name a specific person or thing doing the action — they comment on the situation as a whole.
Structure: Es + [adjective / noun] + que + [subjunctive or indicative verb]
- Es importante que estudies. (It is important that you study.)
- Es verdad que llueve. (It is true that it is raining.)
Both sentences have the same shape. The difference is the mood of the verb after que — and that depends on what the impersonal expression means.
The Core Rule: Subjunctive vs. Indicative
The verb in the que clause depends on whether the impersonal expression conveys subjectivity (opinion, judgment, necessity, doubt) or objectivity (certainty, fact, truth).
Category 1: Expressions That Always Trigger Subjunctive
These express personal judgment, necessity, recommendation, doubt, or emotion. They are subjective — they present the action as viewed through someone’s evaluation, not as a fact.
| Expression | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Es importante que | It’s important that | Es importante que llegues a tiempo. |
| Es necesario que | It’s necessary that | Es necesario que hablemos. |
| Es mejor que | It’s better that | Es mejor que te quedes. |
| Es urgente que | It’s urgent that | Es urgente que lo vea un médico. |
| Es posible que | It’s possible that | Es posible que llueva mañana. |
| Es probable que | It’s probable that | Es probable que ganen. |
| Es dudoso que | It’s doubtful that | Es dudoso que puedan venir. |
| Es una lástima que | It’s a pity that | Es una lástima que no estés. |
| Es bueno / malo que | It’s good / bad that | Es bueno que practiques. |
Category 2: Expressions That Always Use Indicative
These express certainty, truth, or an obvious fact. They are objective — they state what is.
| Expression | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Es cierto que | It’s certain that | Es cierto que viene mañana. |
| Es verdad que | It’s true that | Es verdad que es caro. |
| Es obvio que | It’s obvious that | Es obvio que tienes razón. |
| Es seguro que | It’s sure that | Es seguro que lo saben. |
| Es evidente que | It’s evident that | Es evidente que está enfermo. |
| Es un hecho que | It’s a fact that | Es un hecho que la tierra gira. |
💡 Grammar Tip: Think of it this way — if the expression shows how you feel or judge the action (subjective), use the subjunctive. If it states a verifiable fact (objective), use the indicative.
The “No” Effect: How Negation Changes Meaning
Adding no to an indicative expression often flips it to require the subjunctive, because negation introduces doubt or denial.
- Indicative: Es verdad que viene. (It’s true he’s coming.)
- Subjunctive: No es verdad que venga. (It’s not true that he’s coming.)
- Indicative: Es cierto que lo hizo. (It’s certain he did it.)
- Subjunctive: No es cierto que lo hiciera. (It’s not certain that he did it.)
The pattern: affirmation of fact → indicative. Denial of fact → subjunctive. The same logic applies to es seguro que / no es seguro que, es obvio que / no es obvio que, and es evidente que / no es evidente que.
💻 Conjugate correctly in the clause. Once you know you need the subjunctive, you must conjugate it correctly. Use our Spanish Verb Conjugation Tool to quickly check the present subjunctive form of any verb.
When There’s No Que Clause
When the impersonal expression is followed directly by an infinitive — with no que and no second subject — Spanish uses the infinitive, not the subjunctive. There’s simply no dependent clause for the subjunctive to appear in.
With a que clause (subjunctive):
- Es importante que tú hables. (It’s important that you speak.)
- Es necesario que lleguemos temprano. (It’s necessary that we arrive early.)
With an infinitive (no que, no subjunctive):
- Es importante hablar claramente. (It’s important to speak clearly.)
- Es necesario llegar temprano. (It’s necessary to arrive early.)
The rule: Es + adjective + que + [subject change] + subjunctive → two clauses, two subjects, subjunctive. Es + adjective + infinitive → one clause, no que, infinitive. The choice depends on whether you’re commenting on a specific person’s action (subjunctive) or stating a general principle (infinitive).
This is different from the “same subject” rule that applies to verbs like querer. With querer, the infinitive is used when the subject is the same (Quiero ir vs. Quiero que vayas). With impersonal expressions, the infinitive is used when there’s no que clause at all — the structure itself is different.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Using the indicative for judgment. Es necesario que estudias ❌ → Es necesario que estudies ✓. Necessity = subjunctive.
- Using the subjunctive for facts. Es obvio que seas inteligente ❌ → Es obvio que eres inteligente ✓. Fact = indicative.
- Ignoring the “No” effect. No es cierto que viene ❌ → No es cierto que venga ✓. Negation of fact = doubt = subjunctive.
- Adding que with an infinitive. Es importante que practicar ❌ → Es importante practicar ✓. Without a que clause, use the infinitive directly.
- Confusing Es posible que with Es posible + infinitive. Both are correct, but they structure the sentence differently: Es posible que venga (dependent clause, subjunctive) vs. Es posible llegar tarde (infinitive, no que). The choice depends on whether you’re commenting on a specific action or stating a general possibility.
- Overusing the same expression. Vary your phrasing for more natural speech — Es importante que… can also be Conviene que…, Hace falta que…, Resulta fundamental que…
Putting It All Together: Formal Advice or Opinion
Giving advice:
Para este proyecto, es esencial que trabajen en equipo. Es improbable que tengan éxito de otra manera. Sin embargo, es bueno que cada uno aporte ideas diferentes. Es cierto que requerirá mucho esfuerzo, pero es mejor que empiecen pronto.
Translation: “For this project, it is essential that you work as a team. It is unlikely that you will have success any other way. However, it is good that each person contributes different ideas. It is certain that it will require a lot of effort, but it is better that you start soon.”
Note the two moods in action: es esencial que trabajen, es improbable que tengan, es bueno que aporte, es mejor que empiecen — all subjunctive, because they’re subjective judgments. Es cierto que requerirá — indicative, because it states a fact.
Quick Reference Chart
| Type of Expression | Mood in Que Clause | Key Words | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Necessity / Importance | Subjunctive | importante, necesario, esencial, urgente | Es crucial que firmes. |
| Judgment / Value | Subjunctive | mejor, bueno, malo, injusto, una lástima | Es malo que fumen. |
| Doubt / Possibility | Subjunctive | posible, probable, dudoso, improbable | Es posible que lleguen tarde. |
| Certainty / Fact | Indicative | cierto, verdad, obvio, seguro, evidente | Es evidente que miente. |
| Negation of Fact | Subjunctive | no es cierto, no es verdad, no es seguro | No es seguro que esté. |
| No Que Clause | Infinitive (no subjunctive) | es importante + infinitive | Es importante practicar. |
Practice Exercise: Subjunctive or Indicative?
Choose the correct mood.
- Es extraño que ellos no (llaman / llamen).
- Es un hecho que el sol (se pone / se ponga) por el oeste.
- No es necesario que ustedes (esperan / esperen).
- Es probable que (hay / haya) tráfico.
- Es verdad que ella (sabe / sepa) mucho del tema.
Answers:
- llamen (subjunctive — es extraño expresses personal judgment or surprise)
- se pone (indicative — es un hecho states a fact)
- esperen (subjunctive — es necesario expresses necessity)
- haya (subjunctive — es probable expresses likelihood, not certainty)
- sabe (indicative — es verdad states a fact)
Ready to Express Nuanced Opinions in Spanish?
Using impersonal expressions correctly is key to formal and semi-formal communication in Spanish. Test your ability to choose between subjunctive and indicative:
➡️ Take the Impersonal Expressions Quiz — subjunctive vs. indicative with es + adjective + que.
Pro tip: To sound more natural, vary your expressions. Instead of always using Es importante que…, try Conviene que… (It’s advisable that…), Resulta fundamental que… (It turns out to be essential that…), or Hace falta que… (It’s necessary that…). This showcases true B1 vocabulary range.
Explore more B1 Grammar Guides for intermediate lessons.
📚 Review related topics: Present Subjunctive · Subjunctive vs. Indicative · Spanish Verb Conjugation Tool
Frequently Asked Questions
Impersonal expressions are phrases that start with Es… (It is…) where the grammatical subject is an unspecified “it.” They comment on a situation or action without naming a specific person or thing doing the action. Examples: Es importante que estudies (It’s important that you study), Es posible que llueva (It’s possible it will rain), Es una lástima que no vengas (It’s a pity you’re not coming). The structure is Es + adjective/noun + que + [subjunctive or indicative clause].
When the expression conveys subjectivity — an opinion, judgment, necessity, recommendation, doubt, or emotion. Examples: Es importante que, Es necesario que, Es posible que, Es probable que, Es mejor que, Es una lástima que. These express how the speaker evaluates the action, not a fact about it, so the dependent clause takes the subjunctive.
The ones that express certainty or verifiable fact: Es cierto que, Es verdad que, Es obvio que, Es seguro que, Es evidente que, Es un hecho que. These state what is, rather than how the speaker judges it, so the dependent clause takes the indicative. Compare: Es evidente que miente (It’s evident he’s lying — fact) vs. Es posible que mienta (It’s possible he’s lying — doubt).
Because negation introduces doubt or denial. Es verdad que viene asserts a fact — indicative. No es verdad que venga denies that fact — subjunctive. The same logic applies to es cierto que / no es cierto que, es seguro que / no es seguro que, es obvio que / no es obvio que. Affirmation of fact → indicative. Denial of fact → subjunctive. This is one of the most important B1 patterns to internalize.
Both are correct, but the structures differ. Es importante que hables has a que clause with its own subject — the subjunctive hables refers to a specific person’s action. Es importante hablar has no que clause at all — the infinitive states a general principle, not a specific person’s action. The rule: que clause → subjunctive; no que clause → infinitive. The choice depends on whether you’re commenting on a specific action or stating a general truth.
Yes, when it’s followed by que + a clause. Es posible que llueva (It’s possible it will rain) — subjunctive. But Es posible can also be followed directly by an infinitive, in which case there’s no que clause and no subjunctive: Es posible llegar tarde (It’s possible to arrive late). The presence or absence of que determines the structure. Same pattern applies to puede ser que + subjunctive vs. puede ser + infinitive.
Ask yourself: is this an evaluation or a fact? Subjective expressions judge the action — importante, necesario, bueno, malo, mejor, posible, probable, dudoso, una lástima. They tell you how the speaker feels about it. Objective expressions state the action — cierto, verdad, obvio, seguro, evidente, un hecho. They tell you what is. If you can replace the expression with “in my judgment…” or “it would be good if…,” it’s subjective. If you can replace it with “it is a fact that…,” it’s objective.
Subjunctive-triggering: es importante que, es necesario que, es posible que, es probable que, es mejor que, es bueno/malo que, es una lástima que, es urgente que, es dudoso que, es extraño que. Indicative-triggering: es cierto que, es verdad que, es obvio que, es seguro que, es evidente que, es un hecho que. Variants to vary your phrasing: conviene que (it’s advisable), hace falta que (it’s necessary), resulta fundamental que (it turns out to be essential). All follow the same subjunctive logic.
Yes. When the main clause is in the past, the subjunctive shifts to the imperfect subjunctive: Era importante que estudiaras (It was important that you study), Fue posible que lloviera (It was possible that it rained). The same categories apply — subjective expressions still take the subjunctive, objective expressions still take the indicative. Only the tense changes: present subjunctive after a present main clause, imperfect subjunctive after a past main clause.
Using the indicative after a subjective expression because it “feels” like a fact. Es necesario que estudias ❌ → Es necesario que estudies ✓. The English translation (“It’s necessary that you study”) uses the same verb form as a fact statement, so English speakers instinctively reach for the indicative. In Spanish, the necessity itself is a judgment, so the dependent clause takes the subjunctive. The same error appears with es importante, es mejor, es posible, es probable — and with their negative counterparts, where the flip is even stronger.
