What is the difference between verbs tenses on Indicative and Subjunctive mode in Spanish?

Answer 1

The indicative and subjunctive moods in Spanish are two distinct grammatical moods that express different shades of meaning and speaker attitude. Here's a breakdown of their key differences:

Indicative Mood

Certainty and Objectivity: The indicative mood is used to express facts, certainties, and objective truths.

Yo hablo español. (I speak Spanish.) - Simple and factual statement.

Ella fue al cine ayer. (She went to the movies yesterday.) - Describes a past event.

Mañana lloverá. (It will rain tomorrow.) - Predicts a future event with a degree of certainty.

Subjunctive Mood

Subjectivity, Uncertainty, and Emotion: The subjunctive mood expresses subjectivity, uncertainty, wishes, desires, emotions, and opinions. It's often used in dependent clauses that follow certain verbs or expressions.

Quiero que estudies mucho. (I want you to study a lot.) - Expressing a desire.

Dudo que haya llegado. (I doubt that he/she has arrived.) - Expressing doubt.

Es importante que seas puntual. (It's important that you be punctual.) - Expressing a recommendation.

Key Differences Summarized:

Certainty versus uncertainty: Indicative expresses certainty, while subjunctive expresses uncertainty, doubt, or possibility.

Objectivity versus subjectivity: Indicative focuses on objective facts, while subjunctive reflects subjective opinions, wishes, and emotions.

Usage: Indicative is used for most everyday statements, while subjunctive is used in specific grammatical constructions and to express certain attitudes.

Answer 2

Another key indicator that the Spanish subjunctive mood must be used is the word "que," meaning "that," following a verb that expresses doubt, emotion, or wishes. For example, Me importa que tu leagues a tiempo. (It is important to me that you arrive on time.)

Also, don't forget the subjunctive mood's "first cousin," the imperative mood. Us the subjunctive form of the verb when making requests or negative commands.

Answer 3

As a general rule of thumb, the indicative mood is used to convey objective reality, i.e. facts and other information you are certain about. The subjunctive, on the other hand, coneys subjective reality, i.e. opinions, emotional statements, wishes/doubts, etc. It is commonly triggered by verbs such as querer, esperar, insistir, dudar (all followed by que), etc.

Examples:

Indicative:

Hablo español. (I speak Spanish)

Subjunctive:

Espero que el avión llegue (I hope the plane arrives)

Quick conjugation chart for present tense:

Indicative:

yo llego

tú llegas

él/ella llega

nosotros llegamos

ellos llegan

Subjunctive:

yo llegue

tú llegues

él/ella llegues

nosotros lleguemos

ellos lleguen

Please let me know if this helped.

Cheers,

Daniel

Answer 4

The indicative mood conveys certainty and assurance about the action being described, while the subjunctive mood indicates uncertainty, doubt, or possibility.

Exemplo:

1. Estoy seguro de que llegará a tiempo. (INDICATIVE: Estoy - present tense / llegará - future tense)
2. Espero que él llegue a tiempo. (SUBJUNTIVE: Espero / que él llegue - present tense)