Spanish Grammar/Subjunctive

All the verbs reviewed here up to this point have been conjugated in the indicative mood, the grammatical mood used for making factual statements, asking questions, or expressing opinions regarded as factual by the speaker.

The subjunctive mood is used in the context of unreality or the unknown/unknowable, such as wishes, emotions, possibilities, opinions, or actions that have not yet occurred.

The subjunctive kind of exists in English. Some examples:

You're looking for a new CTO. I would like to suggest that it be me.

If I were you, I would buy a boat.

So be it!.

I'll avenge you, father, so help me God!

Conjugated in the indicative mood, these phrases would be "…it is me," "I was you," "so it is," and "God helps me." Many English speakers don't notice they're already conjugating verbs in the subjunctive until they have to learn it in another language. To be fair, it is much simpler in English than it is in Spanish, and much less often used.

In Spanish, the subjunctive is often introduced by certain expressions. Learn to associate these expressions with the subjunctive: