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Subjuntivo variable
Obviousness, knowledge, and certainty are considered real – at least to the speaker – and therefore do not call for the Spanish subjunctive. Using these verbs and expressions in the negative or interrogative, however, indicates doubt: thus the subjunctive is required.
Por ejemplo …
| ¿Crees que él sea triste? | Do you believe he’s sad? | |
| Sí, creo que es triste. | Yes, I believe he’s sad. | |
| No, no creo que sea triste. | No, I don’t believe he’s sad. |
Spanish verbs and phrases that may or may not be followed by the subjunctive, depending on how they’re used:
| conocer (a alguien) que | to know (someone) who | |
| creer que | to believe that | |
| decir que | to say that | |
| es cierto que | it is certain that | |
| es claro que | it’s clear that | |
| es evidente que | it is obvious that | |
| es seguro que | it is certain that | |
| es una realidad | it’s a fact that | |
| es un hecho | it’s a fact that | |
| es verdad que | it is true that | |
| estar cierto que | to be certain that | |
| estar seguro de que | to be sure that | |
| pensar que | to think that | |
| saber que | to know that |
In contrast, the verbs dudar (to doubt) and negar (to deny) take the subjunctive when they are affirmative, but not when they are negative.
| Dudo que venga. | I doubt he’ll come. | |
| No dudo que viene. | I don’t doubt that he’ll come. |
Other verbs and expressions that don’t normally call for the subjunctive can also fall into this affirmative vs negative/interrogative pattern.
| Hay un libro que es interesante. | There’s a book that’s interesting. | |
| ¿Hay un libro que sea interesante? | Is there a book that is interesting? | |
| No hay ningún libro que sea interesante. | There is no book that is interesting. | |
| Tengo un profesor que vive en Madrid. | I have a teacher who lives in Madrid. | |
| ¿Tienes un profesor que viva en Madrid? | Do you have a teacher that lives in Madrid? | |
| No tengo un profesor que viva en Madrid. | I don’t have a teacher that lives in Madrid. |
More Spanish subjunctive
Conjugations
Usage
- Conjunctions
- Adjective clauses
- Negation and interrogation
- Si clauses
- Verbs and expressions
- The Subjunctivisor!
Spanish Subjunctive Tenses
En français
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