The presente de subjuntivo is used to express wishes, doubts, emotions, and hypothetical situations in the present or future. It's typically triggered by certain phrases or conjunctions that express uncertainty or subjectivity. The subjunctive is formed by taking the yo form of the present indicative, dropping the -o, and adding the opposite vowel endings (-ar → e/en, -er/-ir → a/an). It is used for:
- Expressing wishes or hopes
- After phrases of doubt or uncertainty
- Following impersonal expressions
- In clauses with conjunctions like "para que", "aunque"
- Expressing emotions about situations
The key contrast
Use an infinitive when the subject stays the same (Quiero salir), but que + subjunctive when it changes (Quiero que salgas). Compare Creo que viene with No creo que venga; use the subjunctive for future events after cuando: Cuando llegues, llámame. With aunque, use the indicative for a known fact and the subjunctive for an uncertain one.
Regular Conjugations
| Pronoun | -AR | -ER/-IR |
|---|---|---|
| yo | -e | -a |
| tú | -es | -as |
| él/ella/ud. | -e | -a |
| nosotros | -emos | -amos |
| vosotros | -éis | -áis |
| ellos/uds. | -en | -an |
An -ar verb takes the e endings that belong to -er verbs in the indicative.
Regular -AR verb: hablar in Presente de Subjuntivo
-er and -ir verbs swap the other way and take a.
Regular -ER/-IR verb: comer in Presente de Subjuntivo
Common Irregular Verbs
These verbs do not follow the regular yo-form pattern consistently. Learn the full subjunctive paradigm, even when a familiar stem appears.
| Pronoun | ser | estar | ir | haber | saber |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| yo | sea | esté | vaya | haya | sepa |
| tú | seas | estés | vayas | hayas | sepas |
| él/ella/ud. | sea | esté | vaya | haya | sepa |
| nosotros | seamos | estemos | vayamos | hayamos | sepamos |
| vosotros | seáis | estéis | vayáis | hayáis | sepáis |
| ellos/uds. | sean | estén | vayan | hayan | sepan |
Common Stem Changes
- e → ie: pensar → piense
- e → i: pedir → pida
- o → ue: poder → pueda
- u → ue: jugar → juegue
- i → ie: adquirir → adquiera
An -ir verb carries its change into nosotros and vosotros too: pedir → pidamos, pidáis; sentir → sintamos, sintáis; dormir → durmamos, durmáis. An -ar or -er verb keeps the plain stem there: volver → volvamos, not vuelvamos.
Spelling Changes
- -car → -que: practicar → practique
- -gar → -gue: llegar → llegue
- -zar → -ce: empezar → empiece