LingoflySubjuntivo: the mood for what doesn't exist yet
When you talk about what is wanted, demanded or still to come, the Spanish verb changes its ending completely. The result is the subjuntivo — the form for what does not exist yet. For example: “Es obligatorio que el contrato esté por escrito” — The contract is required to be in writing. A rule from the Spanish course: worked out on examples, not memorized as a wording.
How it works
When you talk about what is wanted, demanded or still to come, the Spanish verb changes its ending completely. The result is the subjuntivo — the form for what does not exist yet.
It is made by swapping the vowel: verbs in -ar get an e, verbs in -er and -ir get an a. Firmar → que firme, vender → que venda, recibir → que reciba. The stem comes from the yo form of the present: tener → tengo → que tenga.
Where it is obligatory. After para que: te lo doy por escrito para que no haya dudas. After words of duty and judgement: es obligatorio que firmes. After wishes: quiero que me lo confirmes.
A rule that saves time: two people acting means this form, one person means the plain verb. Quiero firmar against quiero que firmes.
Table
| infinitive | the yo form now | subjuntivo | example |
|---|---|---|---|
| firmar | firmo | que firme | para que firme |
| vender | vendo | que venda | quiero que venda |
| recibir | recibo | que reciba | cuando reciba |
| tener | tengo | que tenga | es normal que tenga |
| hacer | hago | que haga | para que lo haga |
| ser | — | que sea | es raro que sea así |
| ir | — | que vaya | quiero que vaya |
| saber | — | que sepa | para que lo sepas |
By example
- The contract is required to be in writing
- Cuando llegue el pedido, revisa la facturaWhen the order arrives, check the invoice
- I want to cancel the contract, but I want them to return my deposit
How the rule settles in your head
A rule is not memorized from an explanation. It is memorized from an attempt to use it and a mistake — that is why the app delivers it mixed in with words, not as a separate lesson: it resurfaces exactly where you forgot it.
Frequently asked
Subjuntivo: how does it work in Spanish?
When you talk about what is wanted, demanded or still to come, the Spanish verb changes its ending completely. The result is the subjuntivo — the form for what does not exist yet.
What does it look like in a Spanish example sentence?
“Es obligatorio que el contrato esté por escrito” — The contract is required to be in writing. A rule is easier to test on sentences like this than to memorize as a wording: what surfaces in conversation is the sentence.