In this Spanish Quick Tip Lesson we are going to cut through the chaos of the Spanish Subjunctive.
If you’ve been learning Spanish for any amount of time, you know the subjunctive has some mala fama! Learn 3 tips on when and how to use it!
The Spanish subjunctive can seem like a new frontier of learning – it can be daunting, frustrating and make you feel like you’ve never learned Spanish before. But in this lesson, when you grasp these 3 tips, you will be on your way to speaking more advanced Spanish!
Watch this Quick Tip lesson and learn 3 tips on when to use the Subjunctive
Tip # 1: 3 modos verbales en Español
In order to understand the Spanish subjunctive, you have know there are three “moods” or categories of verbs in Spanish. Within each of these moods, you will find various verb tenses such as the present, imperfect, preterite, etc.
| Modo Indicativo | To communicate facts and objective statements |
| Modo Imperativo | To give direct orders and commands |
| Modo Subjuntivo | To express subjective thoughts, desires, wishes, doubts, uncertainties, emotions, recommendations, y más |
Watch the lesson to get examples of each “Modo”
Tip # 2: 3 grammatical elements that are often necessary in the present subjunctive
| Two different subjects: 1 in the independent clause and 1 in the dependant clause | Yo quiero que tú lo hagas. |
| A relative pronoun: That seperate the two clauses. Que, quien, como | No me importa quien sea. |
| Two different verbs: – 1 expresses a wish, doubt, desire, suggestion, etc. – Followed by a verb in the subjunctive | Dudo que él vaya al supermercado. |
Watch the lesson to see more examples of these 3 grammatical elements!
Tip # 3: WEIRDO!!! Memorize this acronym and learn the contexts in which the subjunctive is used!
| W – Wishes | Espero que mis amigos lleguen a tiempo a la fiesta. |
| E – Emotion | Me alegra que ellos se casen en su lugar favorito. |
| I – Impersonal Expressions | Es imposible que coma toda la pizza ahora. |
| R – Recommendations | Sugiero que ustedes laven bien sus vegetales antes de comerlos. |
| D – Doubt | No creo que vayamos al cine hoy. |
| O – Order | Quiero que arregles tu cuarto antes de salir. |
Watch the lesson and learn specific examples of WEIRDO! Download lesson notes and Quiz!
¡Te toca a ti! Let’s practice…
- Click on the red button to take the Quiz. Indicate whether the following sentences in the Quiz are indicative, imperative or subjunctive.
- Submit your quiz and get your results!
Want more practice? Download the lesson notes and take the Quiz at the end of the lesson.
Give it a try – write an example sentence using the subjunctive in the comments below.
Take a deeper dive into the Spanish Subjunctive…Join me in this 3 lesson course and massively improve your Spanish!
Ace the Subjunctive!
Take a deeper dive into the Spanish Subjunctive…Join me in this course and massively improve your Spanish!
