Expressions Which Always Take Subjunctive

1 EXPRESSIONS WHICH ALWAYS TAKE SUBJUNCTIVE para que / de modo que in order that / so that Llevaré un paraguas para que no nos mojemos. I'll take an umbrella so that we don't get wet. sin que without Se fue sin que me diera cuenta. He went without me realising. a condición que on condition that Te diré dónde vamos a estar a condición que no vengas. I'll tell you where we are going to be on condition that you don't come. con tal que provided that / as long as Lo haré esta noche con tal que no me molestes más. I'll do it tonight provided that you don't bother me any more.

*no es seguro que it's doubtful that No es seguro que venga. It's doubtful that he'll come. a no ser que unless Quedaremos en casa a no ser que haga sol. We'll stay at home unless it's sunny. es posible que it's possible that Es posible que vayamos a la playa mañana. It's possible that we'll go to the beach tomorrow. es probable que Es probable que llueva mañana. It's likely to rain tomorrow. hasta que until Tienes que quedar hasta que lo hayas terminado. You have stay until you've finished it.

2 EXPRESSIONS WHICH SOMETIMES TAKE SUBJUNCTIVE cuando* (when referring to the future) when Ven cuando quieras. Come when you want. antes (de) que* (when referring to the future) before Vámonos antes de que lleguen. Let's go before they arrive. después de que* (when referring to the future) after Iré a casa después de que todos se hayan ido. I'll go home after they've all gone. en cuanto / tan pronto como* (when referring to the as soon as future) Phone me as soon as he arrives. Llámame en cuanto llegue. mientras* (when referring to the future or unknown) as long as Mientras me pague, no me importa. As long as he pays me, I don't mind. siempre que* (when referring to the future or unknown) provided / providing Puedes quedar siempre que no te muevas. You can stay provided you don't move. quizá(s) / tal vez / acaso** perhaps

* When these verbs refer to the future or the unknown they are followed by the subjunctive. When they express something habitual you don't use the subjunctive: e.g. Me matará cuando se entere. = He'll kill me when he finds out. BUT Siempre nos ayuda cuando es necesario. = She always helps us when necessary.

** They can be followed by the subjunctive or indicative. When the subjunctive is used, there is a greater degree of doubt. e.g. Quizá se han equivocado. Perhaps they've made a mistake. Quizá lo haga mañana. Perhaps I'll do it tomorrow. (more doubt)

3 VERBS WHICH ALWAYS TAKE SUBJUNCTIVE

1. VERBS OF INFLUENCE ON OTHER PEOPLE (wanting, requesting, permitting, forbidding, causing, necessity) querer que to want ¿Quieres que me vaya? Do you want me to go? preferir que to prefer Sus padres prefieren que estudie medicina. His parents would prefer him to study medicine. pedir que to ask Me pidió que le prestara mil pesetas. He asked me to lend him a thousand pesetas. prohibir que to forbid Te prohíbo que me hables así. I forbid you to speak to me like that. decir a alguien que to tell someone to Le dije que no lo hiciera. I told him not to do it. persuadir a alguien de que to persuade someone to Me persuadió de que aceptara su oferta. She persuaded me to accept his offer. hacer falta to be necessary No hace falta que os vayáis los dos. It's not necessary for both of you to go. es preciso* que to have to / must Es preciso que te vayas ahora mismo. You must go right now. no es preciso que there's no need No es preciso que vengamos todos esta noche. We don't all need to come tonight.

* In general, the construction SER + ADJECTIVE + QUE needs the subjunctive. e.g. Es necesario que vayamos todos. It's necessary for us all to go. Va a ser muy difícil que acepte. It's very unlikely that he'll accept.

The exceptions to this are SER + VERDAD and its synomyms (OBVIO, CLARO, EVIDENTE, etc.) e.g. Es verdad que trabaja demasiado. It's true he works too much. Es claro que no ha estudiado. It's clear he hasn't studied. Es evidente que será cantante como su madre. It's obvious that she'll be a singer like her mother. 2. VERBS OF UNCERTAINTY / DOUBT etc.

dudar que to doubt Nunca dudé que viniera. I never doubted that he would come. negar que to deny Negó que hubiera robado la botella. He denied that he had stolen the bottle. es increíble que it's incredible that Es increíble que lo hayas creído. It's incredible that you believed him. no creer que to believe No creo que seas la persona adecuada para el trabajo. I don't think you're the right person for the job. no parecer que to not seem No parece que estemos tan distintos. We don't seem to be that different.

3. VERBS OF EMOTIONS / EVALUATIONS sentir que to be sorry that Siento que tengas que marcharte. I'm sorry you have to go. alegrarse de que to be glad Me alegro que hayas venido. I'm glad you came. extrañarse de que to be surprised that Me extrañó de que no nos hubiera visto. I was surprised he hadn't seen us. tener miedo de que to be afraid / scared Tengo miedo de que vuelvan. I'm scared they'll come back. ser raro que to be strange that Es raro que no lo hayas encontrado. It's strange that you haven't found it.

OTHER VERBS esperar (a) que to expect Esperamos a que venga mañana. We expect him to come tomorrow. esperar que to hope that Espero que no llegues tarde.

4 OTHER USES

1. AFTER A RELATIVE REFERRING TO AN UNSPECIFIC PERSON / THING

Buscan un hombre que hable inglés para el trabajo. They are looking for a man who speaks English for the job. (unspecific) But: Conozco un hombre que habla inglés. I know a man who speaks English. (SPECIFIC)

2. AFTER QUE (wishing someone something)

¡Que aproveche! Bon appétit! / Enjoy your meal!

¡Que tengan un buen viaje! Have a good journey!

3. IMPERATIVES

(i) tú form negative No lo hagas. Don't do it. (Remember tú form affirmative: Siéntate aquí - Sit here.)

(ii) usted form affirmative / negative Hágalo ahora. Do it now. No lo haga todavía. Don't do it yet.

(iii) ustedes affirmative / negative Háganlo ahora. Do it now. No lo hagan todavía. Don't do it yet.

(iv) vosotros negative No lo hagáis. Don't do it. (Remember vosotros affirmative: Cerrad la puerta - Close the door.)

4. OJALÁ

Ojalá que Let's hope Ojalá que no llueva mañana. Let's hope it doesn't rain tomorrow.

5. CONDITIONAL SENTENCES (when a future event is improbable or to talk about the past)

Si viniera, iríamos a ver la Alhambra. If he came, we'd go to see the Alhambra.

Si hubiera sabido, no lo habría hecho. If I had known, I wouldn't have done it.