Wishes and Doubt

Spanish Grammar 4

Course 4 · Chapter 2 · The Subjunctive: Wishes, Emotion and Doubt

💭 Wishes, Emotion and Doubt — Deseo, emoción y duda

Spanish Grammar 4 1 gave you the forms. Now for the first uses. The subjunctive appears when the speaker is not stating a fact but reacting to a situation: wanting it, hoping for it, being glad or sorry about it, or doubting it. A handy memory aid is WEIRDO: Wishes, Emotions, Impersonal expressions, Recommendations, Doubt, Ojalá. This chapter covers all six.

The rule in one box Use the subjunctive in a que clause when the main clause expresses a wish, request, emotion or doubt and the two clauses have different subjects: Quiero que vengas. If the subject is the same, use the infinitive instead: Quiero venir. After verbs of certainty (creo que, sé que, es verdad que) use the indicative; after their negatives (no creo que, dudo que) use the subjunctive.

Wishes, requests and advice

VerbMeaningExample
querer queto want (someone to)Quiero que vengas a la fiesta. I want you to come to the party.
esperar queto hope thatEsperamos que haga buen tiempo. We hope the weather is good.
desear queto wish thatDeseo que seáis muy felices. I wish you every happiness.
pedir queto ask (someone to)Te pido que me ayudes. I ask you to help me.
necesitar queto need (someone to)Necesito que me des tu opinión. I need you to give me your opinion.
preferir queto prefer (someone to)Prefiero que salgamos pronto. I'd rather we left soon.
recomendar queto recommend thatTe recomiendo que pruebes la tortilla. I recommend you try the omelette.
aconsejar queto advise thatLe aconsejo que descanse. I advise you to rest.
ojalá (que)I hope / if only¡Ojalá tengas suerte! I hope you're lucky!
Watch out: ojalá Ojalá comes from Arabic ("may God will it") and is followed by the subjunctive, with or without que: Ojalá venga. · Ojalá que venga. It needs no other verb in front of it: it can open a sentence by itself.

Emotion

ExpressionMeaningExample
me alegro de queI'm glad thatMe alegro de que estés mejor. I'm glad you're better.
siento que / lamento queI'm sorry thatSiento que no puedas venir. I'm sorry you can't come.
me gusta queI like it thatMe gusta que vivamos cerca. I like that we live close by.
me molesta queit bothers me thatMe molesta que hablen tan alto. It bothers me that they talk so loudly.
tengo miedo de queI'm afraid thatTengo miedo de que llueva. I'm afraid it will rain.
me sorprende queit surprises me thatMe sorprende que no lo sepas. It surprises me that you don't know.

Verbs like gustar, molestar, sorprender take an indirect object (me, te, le…) and are followed by que plus the subjunctive. Alegrarse, sentir, temer and tener miedo work the same way, but note the de in me alegro de que and tengo miedo de que.

Impersonal expressions

ExpressionExample
es importante queEs importante que duermas bien. It's important that you sleep well.
es necesario queEs necesario que pague hoy. It's necessary that I pay today.
es mejor queEs mejor que vayamos en tren. It's better that we go by train.
es posible / probable queEs posible que llegue tarde. I may arrive late.
es una lástima queEs una lástima que no haya entradas. It's a pity there are no tickets.
es raro queEs raro que no conteste. It's odd that he doesn't answer.

Impersonal expressions of certainty take the indicative: Es verdad que vive aquí. · Es cierto que tiene razón. But their negatives take the subjunctive: No es verdad que viva aquí.

Subjunctive or infinitive?

Different subjects → que + subjunctiveSame subject → infinitive
Quiero que vengas. I want you to come.Quiero venir. I want to come.
Espero que ella gane. I hope she wins.Espero ganar. I hope to win.
Me alegro de que estés aquí. I'm glad you're here.Me alegro de estar aquí. I'm glad to be here.
Es importante que estudies. It's important that you study.Es importante estudiar. It's important to study.
Prefiero que salgamos. I'd rather we left.Prefiero salir. I'd rather leave.
Watch out: "want someone to" English says "I want you to come", with an infinitive. Spanish cannot: ✗ Quiero tú venir. You need the full clause: Quiero que vengas. The same goes for "I need her to…" (necesito que ella…) and "I hope you…" (espero que tú…). When the main verb is one of permitir, prohibir, dejar, hacer, mandar, Spanish often does use an infinitive with an object pronoun (Te dejo salir), but que + subjunctive is also correct (Te dejo que salgas).

Doubt, belief and denial

Certainty → indicativeDoubt or denial → subjunctive
Creo que viene. I think he's coming.No creo que venga. I don't think he's coming.
Pienso que tiene razón. I think he's right.No pienso que tenga razón. I don't think he's right.
Estoy seguro de que lo sabe. I'm sure he knows.No estoy seguro de que lo sepa. I'm not sure he knows.
Sé que está en casa. I know he's at home.Dudo que esté en casa. I doubt he's at home.
Es verdad que hace frío. It's true that it's cold.No es verdad que haga frío. It's not true that it's cold.
Es evidente que se equivoca. It's obvious he's wrong.No es evidente que se equivoque. It's not obvious he's wrong.

The logic is simple: if you state something as true, use the indicative; if you doubt or deny it, use the subjunctive. Dudar and negar are already negative in meaning, so they take the subjunctive in the affirmative (dudo que, niego que). The reverse of dudar is no dudar, which takes the indicative (no dudo que viene), since the doubt is gone.

Questions with creer In a question, the choice reflects what the speaker expects. ¿Crees que viene? (neutral, expecting yes) · ¿Crees que venga? (more doubtful). Both occur; the indicative is the safe default for learners.
Latin America note The rules in this chapter are the same across the Spanish-speaking world. One everyday difference is the second person plural: Spain says Quiero que vengáis, while Latin America says Quiero que vengan (ustedes). In vos areas, learn the tú forms first: Quiero que vengas.

🗣️ In Use — En situación

① Planning a trip

A:Ojalá haga buen tiempo el fin de semana. Quiero que vayamos a la playa.I hope the weather is good this weekend. I want us to go to the beach.
B:Es posible que llueva, pero espero que no. Prefiero que salgamos temprano.It might rain, but I hope not. I'd rather we left early.

② Doubts about a friend

A:Creo que Marta viene a la cena.I think Marta is coming to dinner.
B:Dudo que venga. No creo que tenga tiempo. Es una lástima que trabaje tanto.I doubt she'll come. I don't think she has time. It's a pity she works so much.

③ News

A:Me alegro de que estés mejor. Es importante que descanses.I'm glad you're better. It's important that you rest.
B:Gracias. Siento que no puedas venir conmigo, pero te pido que me llames.Thanks. I'm sorry you can't come with me, but I ask you to call me.

📋 Quick Reference — Resumen

TopicSummary
wishesquerer, esperar, desear, pedir, preferir, recomendar + que + subjunctive
ojalá+ subjunctive, with or without que
emotionme alegro de que, siento que, me gusta que, me molesta que, tengo miedo de que
impersonales importante / necesario / mejor / posible / una lástima que
same subjectinfinitive: Quiero venir.
different subjectque + subjunctive: Quiero que vengas.
certaintyindicative: creo que, sé que, es verdad que
doubt, denialsubjunctive: no creo que, dudo que, no es verdad que

✏️ Try It Yourself — Ejercicios

Say the answer first, then click to check.

1. Put the verb in the correct form: "Quiero que (venir, tú) a mi casa."

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vengas.

2. Subjunctive or infinitive? "Quiero (comer / que comas) contigo." · "Quiero (comer / que comas) más verdura."

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Quiero comer contigo (same subject: I want to eat) · Quiero que comas más verdura (different subjects: I want you to eat).

3. Complete: "Espero que (hacer) buen tiempo." · "Ojalá (tener, nosotros) suerte."

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haga · tengamos.

4. Complete: "Me alegro de que (estar, tú) aquí." · "Siento que no (poder, ellos) venir."

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estés · puedan.

5. Complete: "Es importante que (dormir, tú) ocho horas." · "Es mejor que (ir, nosotros) en tren."

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duermas · vayamos.

6. Indicative or subjunctive? "Creo que (tener, ella) razón." · "No creo que (tener, ella) razón."

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Creo que tiene razón (indicative) · No creo que tenga razón (subjunctive).

7. Complete: "Dudo que (saber, él) la respuesta." · "Estoy seguro de que (saber, él) la respuesta."

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sepa (doubt) · sabe (certainty).

8. Translate: "I hope you sleep well." · "It's a pity that she can't come."

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Espero que duermas bien. · Es una lástima que no pueda venir.

9. Translate: "I want to leave early." · "I want you to leave early."

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Quiero salir temprano. · Quiero que salgas temprano.

10. Correct the mistakes: Quiero tú venir. · No creo que viene. · Espero que tienes suerte. · Es verdad que sea tarde. · Me alegro que estás bien.

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Quiero que vengas · No creo que venga · Espero que tengas suerte · Es verdad que es tarde · Me alegro de que estés bien.

Coming up in Chapter 3: The Subjunctive in Adverbial and Noun Clauses. Cuando, hasta que, antes de que, después de que, para que, a menos que, aunque, sin que, con tal de que; certainty against uncertainty; por si acaso; lo que, quienquiera.