1. EL MODO SUBJUNTIVO ¿Cómo y cuándo lo usamos?
Objetivo: To learn how to form and when to use the subjunctive mood

2. Two important points:
Difficult for English speakers – so don’t panic if you don’t get it straight away.
You must understand the meaning of the word subjunctive in contrast to the indicative.

3. The indicative:
The indicative mood is the verb mood used in ordinary, typical speech when making statements. The indicative is the most common of moods.
In English, the indicative mood is used nearly all the time except when giving direct commands.
Examples of the indicative:
I see 4 dogs (veo cuatro perros)
I will go home (Iré a casa)
We bought two apples (Compramos dos manzanas)

4. The subjunctive: Used when expressing: Desire Sentiment
Your will for something
Cause
Demand
Request
Doubt
Necessity
The most important thing to remember:
If there is a possibility that the action I am speaking about has not, or may not take place then it is important to use the subjunctive. However if it is a realised fact that the action has taken or definitely will take place the indicative is used.

5. Bert is going to the shop
Bert went to the shop
... The indicative is used.

6. These are not facts ... The subjunctive is used.
I want Bert to go to the shop
I tell Bert to go to the shop
I hope Bert goes to the shop
I prefer that Bert go to the shop
It’s necessary for Bert to go to the shop
It’s possible that Bert will go to the shop
These are not facts
... The subjunctive is used.

7. Are these certainties? ... The subjunctive is used.
I will see Bert when he arrives
I will see Bert as soon as he arrives
Are these certainties?
... The subjunctive is used.

8. So, how is it formed?
Step 1: Take the first person singular of the present tense
hablo como recibo
Step 2: Remove the ‘o’ ending
habl com recib
Step 3: For –ar verbs, put the present tense –er endings (except yo)
For –er/-ir, put the present tense –ar endings (except yo)
habl com recib
habl com recib habl com recib e es
emos
éis en a as
amos
áis an a as
amos
áis an

9. To conjugate a verb in the present subjunctive, you must first remember what the ‘yo’ form is in the present indicative.
Take into account the go-go verbs, the radical changing verbs and finally the irregulars. These will all involve spelling changes from the infinitive:
INFINITIVE
PRESENT INDICATIVE ‘YO’
PRESENT SUBJUNCTIVE ‘YO’
TENER
HACER
PONER
PODER
CABER
CONOCER
PARECER
tengo
hago
pongo
puedo
quepo
conozco
parezco
tenga
haga
ponga
pueda
quepa
conozca
parezca

10. Radicals and spelling changes
E to IE and O to UE (Radical changing AR and ER verbs)
These follow the same rules as they do in the indicative. All forms follow the stem change except nosotros and vosotros (which follow the infinitive)
VOLAR: vuele, vueles, vuele, volemos, voléis, vuelen
QUERER: quiera, quieras, quiera, queramos, queráis, quieran
E to IE and O to UE (Radical changing IR verbs)
These follow the same rules as they do in the indicative except nosotros and vosotros. In these forms, the e changes to i and the o changes to u.
PREFERIR: prefiera, prefieras, prefiera, prefiramos, prefiráis, prefieran
DORMIR: duerma, duermas, duerma, durmamos, durmáis, duerman

11. Radicals and spelling changes
E to I (Radical changing IR verbs)
All e-i radical changing verbs in the present indicative maintain the stem-change in all forms.
PEDIR: pida, pidas, pida, pidamos, pidáis, pidan
SERVIR: sirva, sirvas, sirva, sirvamos, sirváis, sirvan
Spelling changers
All verbs ending in –ger and –gir change the g to a j in all forms
ESCOGER: escoja, escojas, escoja, escojamos, escojáis, escojan
All verbs ending in –car, -gar and –zar change to qu, gu and c respectively
EXPLICAR: explique, expliques, explique, expliquemos, expliquéis, expliquen
LLEGAR: llegue, llegues, llegue, lleguemos, lleguéis, lleguen
EMPEZAR: empiece, empieces, empiece, empecemos, empecéis, empiecen

12. DAR IR SABER HABER ESTAR SER Those pesky irregulars!
There are 6 verbs which do not follow the rules for forming the present subjunctive. A way to remember them is to use the acronym DISHES
DAR IR
SABER
HABER
ESTAR
SER
dé, des, dé, demos, deis, den
vaya, vayas, vaya, vayamos, vayáis, vayan
sepa, sepas, sepa, sepamos, sepáis, sepan
haya, hayas, haya, hayamos, hayáis, hayan
esté, estés, esté, estemos, estéis, estén
sea, seas, sea, seamos, seáis, sean

13. IMPERSONAL EXPRESSIONS RECOMMENDATIONS DOUBT/DENIAL OJALÁ
So, when do we use the subjunctive?
To us, the subjunctive can be a rather ‘weird’ thing to use. The main situations where we use the subjunctive can be remembered by the acronym WEIRDO:
WISHES
EMOTIONS
IMPERSONAL EXPRESSIONS
RECOMMENDATIONS
DOUBT/DENIAL
OJALÁ
Quiero/deseo/necesito/espero que...
Me alegro que... Me da pena que...
Es + adjective + que... (es probable que)
Recomiendo/sugiero/suplico que...
dudo/no creo/no estoy seguro/niego que...
Spanish word meaning ‘if only’ or ‘I wish/hope’