When should I use subjunctive mode in Spanish?

Question

There are three verb modes used in Spanish, regardless of verb tense.

These three modes are:

1. Indicative: use to express facts that are certain.
2. Subjunctive: used to express how a person feels about a fact in an abstract way. Usually used in the second clause of a compound sentence. These second clause depends on the first clause.
3. Imperative: used to give orders.

Answer 1

The subjunctive mode is used to describe how a person feels about a fact. It is mainly used to express a doubt, a wish, a hope, a recommendation, an emotion or an impersonal expression. See examples below: 

- Doubt: "Dudo que me llame", "No creo que me llamen" 

- Wish: "¡Quiero que ganes este partido!", "Deseo que me regale flores." 

- Hope: "Espero que te encuentres mejor.", "Espero que estés bien." 

- Recommendation: "Me recomendaron que estudiara dos horas al día." 

- Emotion: "Siento que estés enfadado conmigo.", "No me gusta que me digan lo que tengo que hacer." 

- Impersonal expression: "Es necesario que la gente vote en estas elecciones.", "Es importante que te tomes la medicación cada día." 

There are a few tips you can follow to help you determine when the subjunctive mode is being used. 

1. Subjunctive mode is commonly used in the second part of a complex sentence. A complex sentence has two subjects and two verbs, such as "Helena quería que Juan la llamara todas las noches." Elena is the first subject and quería is the first verb (quería is in indicative mode since it is a fact). Juan is the second subject who does the action in subjunctive (llamara) since that action is Elena's wish. 

2. Subjunctive mode is commonly found after a relative pronoun that acts as a connector, such as "Es importante QUE leas todos los días." 

3. Subjunctive mode is often used in an expression that starts with the word "que", such as "¡QUE tengas un buen día!" 

4. Subjunctive mode is used when explaining the purpose of an action using the words "para que". Example: "Le dimos dinero para que comprara comida para su familia." 

Can you see the pattern? - You are right; a verb in subjunctive mode is usually introduced by the word QUE!

An ^{exception to that rule} is expressing opinion. When expressing opinion, even if you use the word "que", you need to use the indicative mode. Example: "Creo que eso no es necesario" vs. "Dudo que eso sea necesario". The second sentence expresses doubt. That's why the verb "to be" is written in subjunctive mode (sea) instead of indicative mode (es) like when expressing an opinion. 

Answer 2

I love Elisabet's thorough answer! I just wanted to add that in some Spanish textbooks, the "impersonal expression" that Elisabet referred to is also known as a "value judgment". I guess there are just a few different terms out there for the same concept, depending on your curriculum.

One other use of the subjunctive is to express your will or desire for something to occur. It's similar to, but stronger than, a hope or wish (this is more of a subjective notion than a grammar rule). It's almost in lieu of a command, you could say:

¡Que no lo contestes! Don't answer it/him!

Or, you could think of it as, "I said, don't answer it!" - this "Que" phrase would most often be used if the person had already used a command previously. So, if they had first said, No lo contestes, and the listener didn't follow the command, then the speaker proceeded to repeat themself with more fervor: ¡Que no lo contestes!

I hope I explained myself clearly and that it helps you!