Subjunctive: Part II
Notes:
- The written lesson is below.
- Links to quizzes, tests, etc. are to the left.
In Part I, you learned that the subjunctive mood is used whenever the speaker feels any uncertainty about the action of the sentence, or when the speaker is expressing a subjective opinion.
In this lesson you will begin to learn how to conjugate verbs in the present subjunctive.
For most verbs, the present subjunctive is formed by following these three steps:
- Start with the yo form of the present indicative.
- Then drop the -o ending.
- Finally, add the following endings:
-ar verbs:
-e, -es, -e, -emos, -éis, -en-er and -ir verbs:
-a, -as, -a, -amos, -áis, -an
Regular -ar verbs like hablar (yo hablo).
hablo – o = habl
habl + e = hable
habl + es = hables
habl + e = hable
habl + emos = hablemos
habl + éis = ³ó²¹²ú±ôé¾±²õ
habl + en = hablen
Regular -er verbs like comer (yo como).
como – o = com
com + a = coma
com + as = comas
com + a = coma
com + amos = comamos
com + áis = ³¦´Ç³¾Ã¡¾±²õ
com + an = coman
Regular -ir verbs like vivir (yo vivo).
vivo – o = viv
viv + a = viva
viv + as = vivas
viv + a = viva
viv + amos = vivamos
viv + áis = ±¹¾±±¹Ã¡¾±²õ
viv + an = vivan
The formula also works for verbs that have irregular “yo” forms in the present indicative. Study these examples:
conocer (yo conozco)
conozco – o = conozc
conozc + a = conozca
conozc + as = conozcas
conozc + a = conozca
conozc + amos = conozcamos
conozc + áis = ³¦´Ç²Ô´Ç³ú³¦Ã¡¾±²õ
conozc + an = conozcan
tener (yo tengo)
tengo – o = teng
teng + a = tenga
teng + as = tengas
teng + a = tenga
teng + amos = tengamos
teng + áis = ³Ù±ð²Ô²µÃ¡¾±²õ
teng + an = tengan
salir (yo salgo)
salgo – o = salg
salg + a = salga
salg + as = salgas
salg + a = salga
salg + amos = salgamos
salg + áis = ²õ²¹±ô²µÃ¡¾±²õ
salg + an = salgan
For -ar and -er stem-changing verbs, the formula applies except that there is no stem change in the nosotros and vosotros forms. Study these examples:
pensar (yo pienso)
pienso – o = piens
piens + e = piense
piens + es = pienses
piens + e = piense
pens + emos = pensemos
pens + éis = ±è±ð²Ô²õé¾±²õ
piens + en = piensen
perder (yo pierdo)
pierdo – o = pierd
pierd + a = pierda
pierd + as = pierdas
pierd + a = pierda
perd + amos = perdamos
perd + áis = ±è±ð°ù»åá¾±²õ
pierd + an = pierdan
contar (yo cuento)
cuento – o = cuent
cuent + e = cuente
cuent + es = cuentes
cuent + e = cuente
cont + emos = contemos
cont + éis = ³¦´Ç²Ô³Ùé¾±²õ
cuent + en = cuenten
volver (yo vuelvo)
vuelvo – o = vuelv
vuelv + a = vuelva
vuelv + as = vuelvas
vuelv + a = vuelva
volv + amos = volvamos
volv + áis = ±¹´Ç±ô±¹Ã¡¾±²õ
vuelv + an = vuelvan
For -ir stem-changing verbs, the formula applies except that the stem change in the nosotros and vosotros forms follows these patterns: o:ue verbs change o to u; e:ie verbs change e to i; e:i verbs change e to i. Study these examples:
dormir (yo duermo)
duermo – o = duerm
duerm + a = duerma
duerm + as = duermas
duerm + a = duerma
durm + amos = durmamos
durm + áis = »å³Ü°ù³¾Ã¡¾±²õ
duerm + an = duerman
sentir (yo siento)
siento – o = sient
sient + a = sienta
sient + as = sientas
sient + a = sienta
sint + amos = sintamos
sint + áis = ²õ¾±²Ô³Ùá¾±²õ
sient + an = sientan
pedir (yo pido)
pido – o = pid
pid + a = pida
pid + as = pidas
pid + a = pida
pid + amos = pidamos
pid + áis = ±è¾±»åá¾±²õ
pid + an = pidan
There are just a few more rules for conjugating verbs in the present subjunctive. They will be covered in the next two lessons.
Let’s add flashcards for the conjugations covered in this lesson:
Verb Flashcards
Complete List
Present Subjunctive – hablar
hable
hables
hable
hablemos
³ó²¹²ú±ôé¾±²õ
hablen
Present Subjunctive – comer
coma
comas
coma
comamos
³¦´Ç³¾Ã¡¾±²õ
coman
Present Subjunctive – vivir
viva
vivas
viva
vivamos
±¹¾±±¹Ã¡¾±²õ
vivan
Present Subjunctive – verbs with irregular first persons in present indicative
conocer – conozca, conozcas, conozca, conozcamos, ³¦´Ç²Ô´Ç³ú³¦Ã¡¾±²õ, conozcan
tener – tenga, tengas, tenga, tengamos, ³Ù±ð²Ô²µÃ¡¾±²õ, tengan
salir – salga, salgas, salga, salgamos, ²õ²¹±ô²µÃ¡¾±²õ, salgan
Present Subjunctive – -ar and -er stem-changing verbs
Conjugate just like regular subjunctives (using “yo” form of the indicative) except the stem change does not occur in the nosotros/vosotros forms:
pensar
piense
pienses
piense
pensemos
±è±ð²Ô²õé¾±²õ
piensen
Present Subjunctive – -ir stem-changing verbs
Conjugate just like regular subjunctives (using “yo” form of the indicative) except the stem change in the nosotros and vosotros forms follows these patterns: o:ue verbs change o to u; e:ie verbs change e to i; e:i verbs change e to i.:
dormir – durmamos
sentir – sintamos
pedir – pidamos