What is the Spanish Subjunctive?  It's probably not what you think!
Channel: ShareLingo
Date: 2023-06-07

I always thought the subjunctive was just another tense that I would have to learn.  

And since I was already struggling with the preterit and the imperfect, the idea of adding the subjunctive to my list seemed a bit overwhelming.  

Plus, I didn’t even REALLY know what the subjunctive was.

Looking back at what I know now, that was a big mistake.

Here’s the main idea you need to wrap your head around to make this pretty simple:

The subjunctive is not a tense.    A tense is for time - past, present, future.

The subjunctive is used IN the past, and the present, and even the future.

So, if the subjunctive is not a tense, what is it?   Well, it’s called a MOOD.  The Subjunctive Mood.

Like me, you probably think of a mood as, like, good mood, bad mood, happy, sad…  

Well, subjunctive is KIND OF like that - because it relates to the viewpoint of the speaker.

Here’s an example: 
I HOPE it goes well - Que te vaya bien.

That's my perspective - because it’s what I hope.  
But whatever you are doing may or may not go well..  

If you want a very simplistic way to think about what the subjunctive is, it’s this…

We use the subjunctive mood when the thing we’re talking about is not certain - it’s not a fact - not for sure.

That’s a pretty simple idea.

Back when I was at the basic stage I was learning the verb 
SABER,  TO KNOW    
Yo se.  Tu sabes.   Ellos Saben.

Well, Spanish speakers have two ways to say You Know - Sabes and Sepas.   One is for things that are certain.  

The other is for things that are not certain - like things we hope for.

I did NOT learn that SEPAS is the same thing as SABES- but subjunctive.  

They BOTH mean “you know”

And that is why the subjunctive is used so much in Spanish, it’s how we talk about our life and experiences.

And in life, lots of stuff is uncertain - not a fact, not for sure.

That’s  why I wish I had learned the subjunctive sooner.

When I heard a Spanish speaker use the word SEPAS, I didn’t know what they meant.  

They would say something like “Solo para que sepas…”    “ Just so you know..” 


As the words flew by, and I stumbled on SEPAS, I’d miss the rest of what they said.   

I didn’t know that I could have been learning the present subjunctive at the same time I was learning the present tense.  

Or that I should learn the imperfect subjunctive when I was learning the imperfect past tense.

That’s why I say that the traditional way that Spanish is taught is wrong - it delays the subjunctive until the end.

Listen to this:
I HOPE you know what you are doing.  
Espero que sepas lo que estás haciendo.

It has to be subjunctive, because you may or may not know what you are doing.   It’s not certain that you know.

Now that I’ve pointed SEPAS out to you, listen for it.  You will hear it a LOT.  But now you’ll understand that it means To Know something.

I wish I would have known that a long time ago - right at the beginning of my Spanish journey..

That’s the difference between NORMAL tenses, and the subjunctive mood.


So I hope this helps you understand that the subjunctive is a special thing in Spanish. 



Most of all, I hope this makes you curious.  I hope you’re curious about starting to learn the subjunctive NOW, instead of waiting until after you’ve mastered all the other tenses in Spanish.

I hope you want to explore the subjunctive mood at the same time as the tenses. 

I hope you want to start right now.

Because it’s time for you to introduce the subjunctive into your Spanish path, no matter what level you’re at now.  

Don’t put it off.  I can tell you from my own experience, waiting is a big mistake.

And if you want an easy button to learn the subjunctive, join ShareLingo’s Mastering the Subjunctive course today.  

ShareLingo’s special approach to learning Spanish uses two important processes that make Spanish super easy to learn, remember, and use.  

We utilize our Example Framework for learning and the ShareLingo Method for practicing what you learn.  Both are unique and very different from traditional methods.

By learning and practicing with examples, and gaining familiarity with common phrases and trigger words, you will become more comfortable and proficient in using the subjunctive mood effectively.

Spending time practicing and learning by examples, you will develop a natural intuition for when to use the subjunctive in different situations, expanding and growing your Spanish language skills.

Join us in Masting the Subjunctive today - don’t wait until the end of your Spanish journey.
 
I’m James
Ciao for Now

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