The subjunctive mood in Spanish (modo subjuntivo) is used to express doubts, wishes, probability and uncertainty.
Examples of the subjunctive in Spanish are:
Espero que te recuperes pronto.
I hope you get well soon.
Quizás llegue tarde hoy.
I may be late today.
Dudo que vaya a la fiesta.
I doubt I will go to the party.
A large number of verbs including esperar (hope) and desear (wish) trigger the subjunctive, as well as words like ojalá (I hope) and quizás (maybe). The subjunctive may also be sparked by the word que (that) introducing a subordinate clause. For example:
Deseo que tengan felices fiestas.
I wish you have a happy holiday season.
Quick tip: The subjunctive is not a verb tense but a mood. This means that it does not express facts in present, past or future time, but rather the speaker’s attitude towards the message. The other moods in Spanish are the indicative and imperative moods.
Present subjunctive conjugation chart
| -AR verbs hablar (to speak) | -ER verbs comer (to eat) | -IR verbs vivir (to live) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| yo (I) | -e hable | -a coma | -a viva |
| tú (you) | -es hables | -as comas | -as vivas |
| él, ella (he, she) usted (formal you) | -e hable | -a coma | -a viva |
| nosotros/as (we) | -emos hablemos | -amos comamos | -amos vivamos |
| vosotros/as (plural you) | -éis habléis | -áis comáis | -áis viváis |
| ellos, ellas (they) ustedes (plural you) | -en hablen | -an coman | -an vivan |
Elements of the subjunctive
The subjunctive must be used when the following elements appear in a sentence:
1. A conjunction
Conjunctions like que (that), aunque (although), de modo que (so that), and a no ser que (unless) call for the subjunctive. For example:
Aunque no quiera, debo marcharme.
Even if I don't want to, I must leave.
2. Two clauses
Two clauses with two different subjects and verbs joined by the conjunction que (that) typically require the subjunctive. For example:
Yo quiero que tú vengas conmigo.
I want you to come with me.
3. WEIRDO
Weirdo is an acronym that summarizes the contexts that require the subjunctive. It stands for Wishes, Emotions, Impersonal expressions, Recommendations, Doubt/Denial, and Ojalá.
Te deseo que tengas un próspero Año Nuevo.
I wish you a happy New Year.
When to use the subjunctive in Spanish
The Spanish subjunctive is used to express:
1. Wishes and desires
The subjunctive is used to express wishes and desires following verbs like desear (wish) or the word ojalá (I hope):
Ojalá que ganes la competencia.
I hope you win the competition.
Verbs and expressions of wishes and desires that require the subjunctive:
2. Emotions and feelings
The subjunctive is used to express emotions and feelings after verbs like amar (love) followed by the conjunction que (that):
Me alegra que te vaya bien.
I'm glad you are doing well.
Verbs and expressions of emotion and feelings that require the subjunctive:
| amar love | gustar like | odiar hate |
| alegrarse de be happy | horrorizar appal | sentir feel sorry |
| divertir amuse | indignar make angry | sorprender surprise |
| enorgullecer be proud | irritar irritate | temer fear |
| entristecer make sad | molestar bother | lamentar regret |
3. Impersonal constructions and opinions
The subjunctive is used to express the speaker’s subjective assessment of a situation following the impersonal construction: es + (adjective) + que (it’s + adjective + that) in the subordinate clause. It is also used along with verbs of opinion including creer (believe) preceded by the negative adverb no.
Es importante que estemos todos presentes.
It is important that we are all present.Ella no cree que sea una buena idea.
She doesn't think it's a good idea.
Impersonal constructions and verbs of opinion that require the subjunctive:
| es importante que it’s important that | es necesario que it’s necessary that | es probable que it’s probable that |
| es increíble que it’s incredible that | es normal que it’s normal that | no creer not believe |
| es interesante que it’s interesting that | es obvio que it’s obvious that | no parecer not seem |
| es lógico que it’s logical that | es posible que it’s possible that | no pensar not think |
Careful: With impersonal constructions expressing certainty, the indicative mood is used. Expressions of certainty include: es seguro que (it’s certain that), es cierto que (it’s true that), es evidente que (it’s evident that), está claro que (it’s clear that). For example:
Es seguro que ya lo sabe.
It’s certain that he already knows.
4. Suggestions and orders
The subjunctive is used to make suggestions and offer advice following verbs like recomendar (recommend). It is also used to give orders after verbs like exigir (demand), and to express needs after verbs like necesitar (need).
Les recomiendo que prueben este restaurante.
I recommend you to try this restaurant.Exijo que hagan silencio.
I demand that you remain silent.Necesito que vengas ahora mismo.
I need you to come right now.
Verbs and expressions for suggestions, needs, and orders requiring the subjunctive:
| aconsejar advise | impedir prevent | persuadir persuade |
| advertir warn | mandar tell (to do) | prohibir forbid |
| dejar allow | necesitar need | proponer propose |
| es aconsejable que it’s advisable that | obligar oblige | recomendar recommend |
| es mejor que would rather | ordenar order | rogar beg |
| evitar avoid | pedir ask for | sugerir suggest |
| exigir demand | permitir allow | suplicar implore |
Quick tip: Spanish negative commands take the subjunctive, unlike English, which takes the imperative mood:
No toques el enchufe.
Don’t touch the plug.
5. Doubt and probability
The subjunctive is used to express doubt, uncertainty, hypothesis and probability, as opposed to fact, following expressions like quizás (maybe):
Quizás venga mucha gente al concierto.
Maybe a lot of people will come to the concert.
Verbs and expressions of doubt and probability requiring the subjunctive:
| Dudar Doubt | Probablemente Probably | No es seguro que It is not certain that |
| Es probable que It is probable that | Quizás Maybe | Es improbable que It is improbable that |
| Es posible que It is possible that | Tal vez Perhaps | Es imposible que It is impossible that |
Quick tip: The subjunctive is used in conditional sentences to express hypothetical situations introduced by si (if):
Si fuera rica, viajaría por todo el mundo.
If I were/was rich, I would travel around the world.
6. Future time clauses
The subjunctive is used in subordinate clauses to express future time following adverbs like cuando (when):
Cuando sea grande, quiero ser maestro.
When I grow up, I want to be a teacher.
Conjunctions of future time that require the subjunctive:
| a no ser que unless | cuando when | mientras que as long as |
| antes que before | después que after | tan pronto como as soon as |
How to form the present subjunctive in Spanish
While regular verbs are conjugated in the subjunctive following a common conjugation pattern, irregular verbs have no exact conjugation rules (though a number of similarities may be observed in their conjugation).
Present subjunctive: regular verbs
Regular verbs are conjugated in the subjunctive mood according to their verb ending (-ar, -er, -ir). All regular verbs have the same conjugation pattern as hablar (to speak), comer (to eat), and vivir (to live).
To conjugate regular verbs in the present subjunctive, the ending of the infinitive form is dropped and one of the verb endings below is added, depending on the pronoun:
| -AR verbs hablar (to speak) | -ER verbs comer (to eat) | -IR verbs vivir (to live) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| yo (I) | -e hable | -a coma | -a viva |
| tú (you) | -es hables | -as comas | -as vivas |
| él, ella (he, she) usted (formal you) | -e hable | -a coma | -a viva |
| nosotros/as (we) | -emos hablemos | -amos comamos | -amos vivamos |
| vosotros/as (plural you) | -éis habléis | -áis comáis | -áis viváis |
| ellos, ellas (they) ustedes (plural you) | -en hablen | -an coman | -an vivan |
Quick tip: The conjugation of the present subjunctive is the same for -er and -ir verbs.
- Explore more: Regular verbs in Spanish
Present subjunctive: irregular verbs
Irregular verbs have no common conjugation pattern. Though some of them show similarities in the conjugation of the subjunctive, certain verbs have a conjugation unique to themselves.
Among the verbs that are completely irregular are:
| estar (to be) | ser (to be) | ir (to go) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| yo (I) | esté | sea | vaya |
| tú (you) | estés | seas | vayas |
| él, ella (he, she) usted (formal you) | esté | sea | vaya |
| nosotros/as (we) | estemos | seamos | vayamos |
| vosotros/as (plural you) | estéis | seáis | vayáis |
| ellos, ellas (they) ustedes (plural you) | estén | sean | vayan |
| dar (to give) | saber (to know) | oír (to hear) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| yo (I) | dé | sepa | oiga |
| tú (you) | des | sepas | oigas |
| él, ella (he, she) usted (formal you) | dé | sepa | oiga |
| nosotros/as (we) | demos | sepamos | oigamos |
| vosotros/as (plural you) | deis | sepáis | oigáis |
| ellos, ellas (they) ustedes (plural you) | den | sepan | oigan |
Some irregular verbs can be grouped according to similarities in their irregularities and conjugation patterns.
The most common stem changes for -ar and -er irregular verbs are:
A vowel change: e → ie, o → ue, u → ue
The stem changes from e to ie, affecting the conjugation of certain pronouns in the present tense of the subjunctive mood. The same changes apply to the indicative and imperative moods. Verbs belonging to this category are conjugated following the patterns below:
| Pronoun | e → ie pensar (think) | o → ue poder (be able to) | u → ue jugar (play) |
|---|---|---|---|
| yo (I) | piense | pueda | juegue |
| tú (you) | pienses | puedas | juegues |
| él, ella (he, she) usted (formal you) | piense | pueda | juegue |
| nosotros/as (we) | pensemos | podamos | juguemos |
| vosotros/as (plural you) | penséis | podáis | juguéis |
| ellos, ellas (they) ustedes (plural you) | piensen | puedan | jueguen |
Other verbs with the e → ie stem change include: comenzar (begin), despertar (wake), empezar (begin), entender (understand), querer (want).
Other verbs with the o → ue stem change include: almorzar (have lunch), encontrar (find), recordar (remember), volver (come back), soñar (dream).
Other verbs with the u → ue stem change include: colgar (hang), rogar (beg).
The most common stem changes for -ir irregular verbs include:
| Pronoun | e → i servir (serve) | e → ie / i preferir (prefer) | o → ue / u dormir (sleep) |
|---|---|---|---|
| yo (I) | sirva | prefiera | duerma |
| tú (you) | sirvas | prefieras | duermas |
| él, ella (he, she) usted (formal you) | sirva | prefiera | duerma |
| nosotros/as (we) | sirvamos | prefiramos | durmamos |
| vosotros/as (plural you) | sirváis | prefiráis | durmáis |
| ellos, ellas (they) ustedes (plural you) | sirvan | prefieran | duerman |
Other verbs with the e → i stem change include: elegir (choose), impedir (prevent), pedir (ask for), seguir (follow), sonreír (smile).
Other verbs with the e → ie / i stem change include: convertir (turn into), divertir (amuse), mentir (lie), sentir (feel), sugerir (suggest).
Other verbs with the o → ue / u stem change include: morir (die).
Other irregularities for -er and -ir verbs include:
Irregular yo conjugation verbs. These verbs show the same irregularity in the yo pronoun in the present subjunctive and indicative moods:
| Pronoun | Verbs adding z conducir (drive) | Verbs adding y concluir (finish) | Verbs adding g salir (leave) |
|---|---|---|---|
| yo (I) | conduzca | concluya | salga |
| tú (you) | conduzcas | concluyas | salgas |
| él, ella (he, she) usted (formal you) | conduzca | concluya | salga |
| nosotros/as (we) | conduzcamos | concluyamos | salgamos |
| vosotros/as (plural you) | conduzcáis | concluyáis | salgáis |
| ellos, ellas (they) ustedes (plural you) | conduzcan | concluyan | salgan |
Other verbs adding z include: conocer (know), crecer (grow), deducir (deduce), parecer (seem), producir (produce).
Other verbs adding y include: construir (build), distribuir (distribute), incluir (include), sustituir (replace).
Other verbs adding g include: poner (put), proponer (propose), valer (be worth), tener (have), venir (come).
Note: Certain other verbs show different types of irregularities, such as caber→quepa (fit), decir→diga (say), caer→caiga (fall), and traer→traiga (bring). Other verbs show spelling changes that are not considered irregularities: buscar→busque (look for), vencer→venza (defeat).
- See also: Irregular verbs in Spanish
Subjunctive mood: all tenses
The subjunctive mood has six verb tenses, three of which are simple and three compound.
As happens in all verb tenses and moods, regular verbs follow a common conjugation pattern to form the subjunctive. -Ar verbs are conjugated as hablar (to speak), -er verbs as comer (to eat), and -ir verbs like vivir (to live).
1. Subjunctive simple tenses
| Subject pronoun | Present subjunctive | Imperfect subjunctive | Future subjunctive |
|---|---|---|---|
| yo I |
hable coma viva |
hablara/hablase comiera/comiese viviera/viviese |
hablare comiere viviere |
| tú you |
hables comas vivas |
hablaras/hablases comieras/comieses vivieras/vivieses | hablares comieres vivieres |
| él, ella he, she usted formal you |
hable coma viva |
hablara/hablase comiera/comiese viviera/viviese |
hablare comiere viviere |
| nosotros/as we |
hablemos comamos vivamos |
habláramos / hablásemos comiéramos / comiésemos viviéramos / viviésemos |
habláremos comiéremos viviéremos |
| vosotros/as plural you |
habléis comáis viváis |
hablarais/hablaseis comierais/comieseis vivierais/vivieseis |
hablareis comiereis viviereis |
| ellos, ellas they ustedes plural you |
hablen coman vivan |
hablaran/hablasen comieran/comiesen vivieran/viviesen |
hablaren comieren vivieren |
Les deseo que tengan una linda estadía en nuestra ciudad.
I wish you have a nice stay in our city. (Present subjunctive)
Si hablara español más fluidamente, viajaría a Argentina.
If I spoke Spanish more fluently, I’d travel to Argentina. (Imperfect subjunctive)
Sea como fuere, nos perdimos la fiesta.
In any case, we missed the party. (Future subjunctive)
2. Subjunctive compound tenses
| Subject pronoun | Present perfect subjunctive | Past perfect subjunctive | Future perfect subjunctive |
|---|---|---|---|
| yo I |
haya hablado comido vivido |
hubiera/hubiese hablado comido vivido |
hubiere hablado comido vivido |
| tú you |
hayas hablado comido vivido |
hubieras/hubieses hablado comido vivido |
hubieres hablado comido vivido |
| él, ella he, she usted formal you |
haya hablado comido vivido |
hubiera/hubiese hablado comido vivido |
hubiere hablado comido vivido |
| nosotros/as we |
hayamos hablado comido vivido |
hubiéramos/hubiésemos hablado comido vivido |
hubiéremos hablado comido vivido |
| vosotros/as plural you |
hayáis hablado comido vivido |
hubierais/hubieseis hablado comido vivido |
hubiereis hablado comido vivido |
| ellos, ellas they ustedes plural you |
hayan hablado comido vivido |
hubieran/hubiesen hablado comido vivido |
hubieren hablado comido vivido |
Que haya comido mucho no quiere decir que no voy a comer postre.
Just because I've eaten a lot doesn't mean I won't eat dessert. (Present perfect subjunctive)
Si me hubieras avisado que venías, te habría esperado.
If you had told me you were coming, I would have waited for you. (Past perfect subjunctive)
Quien hubiere faltado a la verdad será castigado.
He who has been untruthful will be punished. (Future perfect subjunctive)
Quick tip: The past participle (participio) of Spanish regular verbs is formed by replacing the -ar ending of first conjugation verbs with -ado, and the -er and -ir endings of second and third conjugation verbs with -ido.
Subjunctive vs. indicative in Spanish
The present and other tenses of the subjunctive mood differ from the tenses of the indicative mood in that the former show the speaker’s attitude towards the message. The actions and facts referred to by verbs in the subjunctive are not real; but rather, they express the speaker’s wish, opinion, or belief.
| Subjunctive mood | Indicative mood | Imperative mood |
|---|---|---|
| Expresses doubt, uncertainty, probability and wishes. | Expresses actions and facts. | Expresses orders, commands, and requests. |
| It has present, past, and future forms. | It has present, past, and future forms. | It has only one form, with no verb tense distinction. |
| Espero que venga. I hope she comes. | Ella vino anoche. She came last night. | ¡Ven aquí ya mismo! Come here right now! |
Sentences with subjunctive in Spanish
Dudo que viajemos la próxima semana.
I doubt we’ll travel next week.
Es necesario que tengamos en cuenta todos los detalles.
It’s necessary that we take all the details into account.
Ojalá que mañana no llueva.
I hope it doesn’t rain tomorrow.
Cuando termine la película, prepararé la cena.
When the movie ends, I’ll cook dinner.
Necesito que me des una mano con esto.
I need you to give me a hand with this.
No quiero que escuchen la música tan fuerte.
I don't want you to listen to the music so loud.
Es natural que los bebés lloren.
It is natural for babies to cry.
Si viera un fantasma, me moriría de miedo.
If I saw a ghost, I would be scared to death.
Lamento que los niños se comporten mal.
I’m sorry the kids misbehave.
Es importante que presten atención en la escuela.
It is important that you pay attention at school.
¡Espero que vuelvas pronto!
I hope you come back soon!
Buscamos una casa que tenga tres dormitorios.
We’re looking for a three-bedroom house.
Te deseo que tengas mucha suerte.
I wish you good luck.
No creo que se hayan perdido.
I don’t think they have gotten lost.
Es imprudente que él conduzca tan rápido.
It is reckless for him to drive so fast.
¿Quieres que vaya contigo a la fiesta?
Do you want me to go to the party with you?
Estoy preparando un pastel para que coman los niños.
I’m making a cake for the kids.
Probablemente hoy llegue tarde a mi casa.
I’ll probably get home late today.
Te ruego que me ayudes.
I beg you to help me.
Están estudiando para que les vaya bien en el examen.
They are studying so that they do well on the exam.
¡Qué suerte que hayas terminado el proyecto!
I’m so glad you’ve finished the project!
Mi amigo vendrá a visitarme tan pronto como sea posible.
My friend will come to visit me as soon as possible.
Desearía que el mundo fuera mejor.
If only the world would be a better place.
Necesito que me digas la verdad.
I need you to tell me the truth.
No creo que puedan ayudarnos.
I don’t think they can help us.
Es extraño que todavía no hayan llegado.
It’s strange they haven’t arrived yet.
Está mal que critiques a los demás.
It’s wrong for you to criticize others.
Que digan lo que quieran.
Let them say what they want.
Me enorgullece que todos mis amigos sean buenas personas.
I’m proud that all my friends are good people.
El policía impidió que les robaran a los turistas.
The police officer prevented the tourists from being robbed.
Practice: Subjunctive in Spanish
References
- Real Academia Española, Diccionario panhispánico de dudas, s.v. “Modelos de conjugación verbal,” accessed July 18, 2024, https://www.rae.es/
- Real Academia Española, Nueva gramática de la lengua española, s.v. “La conjugación regular. Características generales,” accessed July 18, 2024, https://www.rae.es/
- Oxford Spanish Dictionary, 3rd edition on CD-ROM, Oxford University Press, accessed July 18, 2024
- Wordreference, Spanish verb conjugation, accessed July 18, 2024, https://www.wordreference.com/
- Wordreference.com, accessed July 18, 2024, https://www.wordreference.com/
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