Expressing the Expressible

In Spanish, the present subjunctive verb tense is used quite frequently.  I don't often get to teach it since it's one of the latter tenses introduced after so many others are understood (present, gerund, preterit, imperfect, present perfect, imperative, future & future conditional of both regular AND irregular AR, ER & IR verbs).  Learning, understanding & correctly using all of these tenses is a mighty, often mind-boggling task.  In my experience teaching (already bi-lingual students excluded), this takes years to accomplish & is only possible if both the devotion to studying & natural language-ability are present.  

But...don't be dissuaded!  Long live the motor of language--conjugated verbs in all their many tenses! 

So, here's my take on one of the last & most nuanced Spanish tenses to be learned: el presente subjuntivo.

• WHEN TO USE IT:  It's all about the TRUE, IMPLICIT MEANING & FEELING of a phrase/sentence that is occurring in the present time.  Employ it if you want to:

1) Command someone to do something or are exerting influence, volition, intention, wish or preference.

-Quiero que me digas la verdad.

-Necesito que le ayudes.  

-Sus padres no la dejan que salga con este chico.

-Necesitan trabajadores que hablen español.

-El médico recomienda que tú vayas al hospital.

-No se permite que hagamos arreglos sin autorización.

KEY VERBS: aconsejar, dejar desear, exigir, insistir, mandar, obligar, pedir, permitir, preferir, prohibir, proponer, querer, recomendar, sugerir

2) Start a sentence with 'Que' or 'Ojalá que.' 

-Que tengas un buen viaje.

-Que Dios te bendiga.

-Que aproveche.

-Que descanse en paz.
-Que vivan los revolucionarios.

-¡Ojalá que sea feliz!

-Ojalá que llueva café.

3) Express feelings of regret, fear, pity, hope, surprise, worry, anger, gladness, etc.

-Espero que puedas venir a la fiesta, amiga.  Lamento que no sea posible, amiga.

-Me sorprende que ella se sienta tan mal.  

-Tenemos miedo de que el hombre nos mate.  

KEY VERBS: alegrarse, esperar, lamentar, preocuparse, sentir, sorprenderse, tener miedo

4) Express disbelief, uncertainty, denial or doubt.

-No creo que sea posible, lo siento.

-Dudamos que ella llegue a tiempo porque siempre está atrasada.  

-El profesor no está seguro de que el estudiante pase la clase.

KEY VERBS: (no) creer, dudar, (no) estar seguro/a, negar

• HOW TO FORM IT:  As in all verb tenses, remove the 'stem' (the AR, ER or IR) & keep the 'root' (HABL, COM, VIV, etc.) of the infinitive.  The conjugation takes the OPPOSING verb ending.  AR becomes E, ER/IR becomes A.  So:

HABLAR = hable, hables, hable, hablemos, hablen 

COMER = coma, comas, coma, comamos, coman

VIVIR = viva, vivas, viva, vivamos, vivan

And the IRREGULARS, stem-changers not included: 

DAR = dé, des, dé, demos, den (Irregular because of accents)

DECIR = diga, digas, diga, digamos, digan

ESTAR = esté, estés, esté, estemos, estén  (Irregular because of accents)

HABER = haya, hayas, haya, hayamos, hayan

HACER = haga, hagas, haga, hagamos, hagan

IR =  vaya, vayas, vaya, vayamos, vayan

PONER = ponga, pongas, ponga, pongamos, pongan

SABER = sepa, sepas, sepa, sepamos, sepan

SALIR = salga, salgas, salga, salgamos, salgan

SER = sea, seas, sea, seamos, sean

TENER = tenga, tengas, tenga, tengamos, tengan

VENIR = venga, vengas, venga, vengamos, vengan