Subjunctive Conjugations - Vocabulary Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards covering key concepts, rules, irregulars, spellings, stem changes, and triggers for the Spanish present subjunctive as presented in the notes.

Subjunctive mood

A verb mood used to express doubts, wishes, hypothetical or uncertain actions; contrasts with the indicative mood, which states facts.

Indicative mood

The verb mood used to state facts, real events, and actions considered real or definite.

Present subjunctive

The present tense form used to express uncertainty or hypothetical situations; formed from the yo form by dropping -o and adding opposite endings.

Formation steps (present subjunctive)

1) Go to the yo form; 2) Drop the -o; 3) Add the opposite endings (-AR: -e, -emos, -es, -éis, -e, -en; -ER/-IR: -a, -amos, -as, -áis, -a, -an).

Opposite endings (-AR)

-e, -emos, -es, -éis, -e, -en (present subjunctive endings for -AR verbs).

Opposite endings (-ER/-IR)

-a, -amos, -as, -áis, -a, -an (present subjunctive endings for -ER/-IR verbs).

Examples of -AR present subjunctive endings

hablar → hable, hablemos, hables, habléis, hablen.

Examples of -ER/-IR present subjunctive endings

comer → coma, comamos, comas, comáis, coma, coman; escribir → escriba, escribamos, escribas, escribáis, escriba, escriban.

Stem-changing verbs in the subjunctive

Stem-changing verbs keep the same stem changes in the present subjunctive as in the present indicative; nosotros and vosotros forms may also reflect changes.

Irregular yo forms in the present subjunctive (general rule)

Verbs with irregular yo forms in the present indicative show the same irregular stem in all present subjunctive forms (e.g., tener → tenga; conocer → conozca).

Dar (present subjunctive)

Dar → dé, des, dé, demos, deis, den.

Ir (present subjunctive)

Ir → vaya, vayas, vaya, vayamos, vayáis, vayan.

Ser (present subjunctive)

Ser → sea, seas, sea, seamos, seáis, sean.

Haber (present subjunctive)

Haber → haya, hayas, haya, hayamos, hayáis, hayan.

Estar (present subjunctive)

Estar → esté, estés, esté, estemos, estéis, estén.

Saber (present subjunctive)

Saber → sepa, sepas, sepa, sepamos, sepáis, sepan.

Super irregular verbs in the present subjunctive

Key irregulars (Dar, Ir, Ser, Haber, Estar, Saber) have unique forms that must be memorized.

Sacar (car spelling change)

To maintain c sound in subjunctive forms: saque, saquemos, saques, saquéis, saquen.

Almorzar (zar/gar spelling change)

To maintain z sound in subjunctive forms: almuerce, almorcemos, almuerces, almorcéis, almuerce, almuercen.

Pensar (e → ie) in subjunctive

Pensar → piense, pensemos, pienses, penséis, piense, piensen.

Volver (o → ue) in subjunctive

Volver → vuelva, volvamos, vuelvas, volváis, vuelva, vuelvan.

Preferir (e → i) in subjunctive

Preferir → prefiera, prefiramos, prefieras, prefiráis, prefiera, prefieran.

Dormir (o → ue) in subjunctive

Dormir → duerma, duermas, duerma, durmamos, durmáis, duerman.

Pedir (e → i) in subjunctive

Pedir → pida, pidamos, pidas, pidáis, pidan.

Subjunctive triggers (Es importante que, Es urgente que, Es necesario que)

Phrases that signal the use of the subjunctive in the subordinate clause (desire, urgency, necessity).

Es mejor que (subjunctive trigger)

A phrase indicating advice or preference that requires the present subjunctive in the subordinate clause.

Es necesario que (subjunctive trigger)

A phrase signaling necessity that requires the present subjunctive in the subordinate clause.

Es urgente que (subjunctive trigger)

A phrase signaling urgency that requires the present subjunctive in the subordinate clause.