Spanish Grammar in Context

A reference grammar with video examples from the Spanish in Texas collection

  • Credits
  • Index
  • About
  • Home
  • Adjectives
    • Introduction to Adjectives
    • Adjectives – Formation and Placement
    • Comparisons and Superlatives with Adjectives
    • Past Participles as Adjectives
    • Todo
    • Indefinite Adjectives
    • Adjectives Practice
  • Adverbs
    • Introduction to Adverbs
    • Adverbs – Formation and Placement
    • Comparative Adverbs
    • Adverbs Practice
  • Conjunctions
    • Introduction to Conjunctions
    • Coordinating Conjunctions
    • Subordinating Conjunctions
    • Conjunctions Practice
  • Determiners
    • Introduction to Determiners
    • Definite Articles
    • Indefinite Articles
    • Possessive Determiners
    • Demonstrative Determiners
    • Expressions of Quantity
    • Determiners Practice
  • Negation
    • Introduction to Negation
    • Basic Negation: No
    • Alternate Forms of Negation
    • One-word Negative Sentences
    • Negation Practice
  • Nouns
    • Introduction to Nouns
    • Nouns – Number
    • Nouns – Gender
    • Nouns Practice
  • Prepositions
    • Introduction to Prepositions
    • Common Prepositions
    • Por vs. Para
    • Prepositions Practice
  • Pronouns
    • Introduction to Pronouns
    • Subject Pronouns
    • Direct Object Pronouns
    • Indirect Object Pronouns
    • Reflexive Pronouns
    • Order of Object Pronouns
    • Relative Pronouns
    • Indefinite Pronouns
    • Demonstrative Pronouns
    • Possessive Pronouns
    • Pronouns Practice
  • Verbs
    • Introduction to Verbs
    • Tense/Mood
    • Introduction to Present Tense
      • -ar Verbs (Regular) Present Tense
      • -er Verbs (Regular) Present Tense
      • -ir Verbs (Regular) Present Tense
    • Ser “To Be”
    • Haber “To Have”
    • Reflexive Verbs
    • Preterit
    • Present Perfect
    • Imperfect
    • Narration: Preterit vs. Imperfect
    • Pluperfect
    • Future
    • Conditional
    • Past Conditional
    • Imperative Mood (commands)
    • Introduction to Subjunctive
      • Subjunctive – Present
      • Subjunctive – Past or Imperfect
      • Subjunctive – Present Perfect
      • Subjunctive – Pluperfect
      • Tense Sequences
    • Si Clauses (If Clauses)
    • Indirect Speech
      • Indirect Speech – Present
      • Indirect Speech – Past
    • Passive Voice
    • Language Contact
    • Verbs Practice
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Practice quizzes: verbs

Subjunctive – Present

Regular -ar verbs

hablar  to speak
yo hable nosotros/as hablemos
tú hables  
él/ella/usted hable ellos/as/ustedes hablen

Regular -er and -ir verbs:

decir  to say
yo diga nosotros/as digamos
tú digas  
él/ella/usted diga ellos/as/ustedes digan

The present (or present simple) is the most basic tense in the subjunctive mood. For most verbs, the present subjunctive is formed by dropping the -o ending from the first person singular yo of the present indicative and adding the present subjunctive endings. The present subjunctive endings are different for –ar verbs (–e, -es, -e, -emos, -en) and –er/-ir verbs (–a, -as, -a, -amos, -an).

Es muy importante que usted hable el inglés aquí en los Estados Unidos.
It is very important that you speak English here in the United States.

Stem Changers

Verbs with stem changes in the present indicative have the same irregular stem for the present subjunctive. Diphthongizing verbs follow the same pattern observed in the present indicative also for the present subjunctive. Such verbs do not diphthongize in the nosotros form.

Poder: present indicative puedo, podemos – present subjunctive pueda, podamos.

Él me dijo tú, a la universidad, haz lo que quieras.
He told me you during college do what you want.

However, vowel changing verbs use always the same stem for the present subjunctive (also for the nosotros form), following the general present subjunctive rule (the stem is the present indicative yo form without the -o ending).

Pedir: present indicative pido, pedimos – present subjunctive pida, pidamos.

Irregulars

Verbs that don’t end in -o in their yo form present tense, like ser –> soy and ir –> voy are irregular in the present subjunctive.

  • Ser: sea, seas, sea, seamos, sean
  • Haber: haya
  • Estar: esté, estés, esté, estemos, estén
  • Ir: vaya, vayas, vaya, vayamos, vayan
  • Saber: sepa, sepas, sepa, sepamos, sepan
  • Dar: dé, des, de, demos, den
Otras personas aunque sean latinos o hispanos.
Other people even if they are Latinos or Hispanic.

COERLL • The University of Texas at Austin • info@coerll.utexas.edu Creative Commons License

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