While conjugating verbs into the Subjunctive form is not too difficult, it is deciding when and where to use the Subjunctive that gets a little complicated. We will look at it slowly and determine the rules for its use in stages.
The Subjunctive always is needed when we express a WEIRDO using the 3-part formula below.
(Click on a column
heading on the left below for more detail)
W |
Wishes, desires,
|
Quiero que él.., Deseo que I Want or Need someone else to do something, |
E |
Emotion |
Me alegro que…, me entristo que…, I’m Happy, Sad, Angry or Scared, etc. |
I |
Impersonal observations |
Es bueno que…, Es Importante que…, It’s good that.., It’s important that.., It’s |
R |
Recommendations |
Recomiendo que…, Sugiero que… I Recommend or Suggest that someone else |
D |
Doubt, Denial, Disbelief |
Dudo que.., No creo que.., ¿Crees I Doubt that, I Don’t believe that…, |
O |
Ojalá |
Ojalá que… Let’s hope to God that.., God willing that.., |
There is a 3 part formula
for using the Subjunctive. Each one of these three components MUST be in place.
1 |
2 |
3 |
Subject #1 (indicative verb) |
(Select one of the WEIRDO categories)
Que
This is the conjunction necessary
to introduce the subjunctive clause
Subject #2 + verb in the subjunctive
(the person or thing in our WEIRDO world)