The present subjunctive
The present subjunctive is a special form of a verbA 'doing' word; a word expressing action. 'Walk', 'talk', 'come', 'go', 'eat' and 'sleep' are all verbs. which is used in certain situations. It is used:
- To express doubt, uncertainty and possibility, eg no creo que vengan a la fiesta (I don't think they will come to the party).
- After verbs of emotion, eg me alegro de que mi amigo esté aquí (I'm glad that my friend is here).
- For wishes, advice and requests like querer que and pedir que, eg mis padres quieren que vaya a la universidad (my parents want me to go to university).
- After para que when it means in order to, eg estudio mucho para que saque buenas notas (I study a lot so that I get good marks).
- After time phrases like cuando, hasta que, antes de que, etc when you are talking about the future, eg cuando termine mis estudios (when I finish my studies).
- After the expression ojalá to say what you hope will happen, eg ojalá haga calor (let's hope it's hot).
- In certain exclamations, eg ¡Viva! ¡Dígame!
Forming the present subjunctive
The present subjunctive is formed by taking the final o off the yo form of the present tense and adding the present subjunctive endings:
| estudiar (to study) | beber (to drink) | vivir (to live) | |
| (yo) | estudie | beba | viva |
| (tú) | estudies | bebas | vivas |
| (él/ella/usted) | estudie | beba | viva |
| (nosotros) | estudiemos | bebamos | vivamos |
| (vosotros) | estudiéis | bebáis | viváis |
| (ellos/ellas/ustedes) | estudien | beban | vivan |
| (yo) | |
| estudiar (to study) | estudie |
| beber (to drink) | beba |
| vivir (to live) | viva |
| (tú) | |
| estudiar (to study) | estudies |
| beber (to drink) | bebas |
| vivir (to live) | vivas |
| (él/ella/usted) | |
| estudiar (to study) | estudie |
| beber (to drink) | beba |
| vivir (to live) | viva |
| (nosotros) | |
| estudiar (to study) | estudiemos |
| beber (to drink) | bebamos |
| vivir (to live) | vivamos |
| (vosotros) | |
| estudiar (to study) | estudiéis |
| beber (to drink) | bebáis |
| vivir (to live) | viváis |
| (ellos/ellas/ustedes) | |
| estudiar (to study) | estudien |
| beber (to drink) | beban |
| vivir (to live) | vivan |
Some useful irregularSomething that does not follow regular patterns and may have a different form. verbs in the present subjunctive are:
| ser (to be) | hacer (to make/do) | ir (to go) | tener (to have) | |
| (yo) | sea | haga | vaya | tenga |
| (tú) | seas | hagas | vayas | tengas |
| (él/ella/usted) | sea | haga | vaya | tenga |
| (nosotros) | seamos | hagamos | vayamos | tengamos |
| (vosotros) | seáis | hagáis | vayáis | tengáis |
| (ellos/ellas/ustedes) | sean | hagan | vayan | tengan |
| (yo) | |
| ser (to be) | sea |
| hacer (to make/do) | haga |
| ir (to go) | vaya |
| tener (to have) | tenga |
| (tú) | |
| ser (to be) | seas |
| hacer (to make/do) | hagas |
| ir (to go) | vayas |
| tener (to have) | tengas |
| (él/ella/usted) | |
| ser (to be) | sea |
| hacer (to make/do) | haga |
| ir (to go) | vaya |
| tener (to have) | tenga |
| (nosotros) | |
| ser (to be) | seamos |
| hacer (to make/do) | hagamos |
| ir (to go) | vayamos |
| tener (to have) | tengamos |
| (vosotros) | |
| ser (to be) | seáis |
| hacer (to make/do) | hagáis |
| ir (to go) | vayáis |
| tener (to have) | tengáis |
| (ellos/ellas/ustedes) | |
| ser (to be) | sean |
| hacer (to make/do) | hagan |
| ir (to go) | vayan |
| tener (to have) | tengan |
Question
Using the word table below, complete the sentences with the correct verb in the subjunctive.
| vayamos | sea |
| llegue | hagas |
| sea | gane |
| vayamos |
| sea |
| llegue |
| hagas |
| sea |
| gane |
- Mi hermano busca un trabajo para que __________ independiente.
- Es probable que el tren _____________ con retraso.
- Ojalá _____________ muchísimo dinero.
- Quizás nosotros ______________ a la playa.
- Es necesario que tú _______________ tu trabajo.
- Mi hermano busca un trabajo para que sea independiente (My brother is looking for a job in order to be independent).
- Es probable que el tren llegue con retraso (It's likely that the train will arrive late).
- Ojalá gane muchísimo dinero (I hope I earn loads of money).
- Quizás nosotros vayamos a la playa (Perhaps we'll go to the beach).
- Es necesario que tú hagas tu trabajo (It's necessary for you to do your work).
