Subjunctive – Present

Regular -ar verbs

Regular -er and -ir verbs:

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).

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