1 EXPRESSIONS WHICH ALWAYS TAKE SUBJUNCTIVE

para que / de modo que in order that / so that

Llevaré un paraguas para que no nos mojemos. I'll take an umbrella so that we don't get wet.

sin que without

Se fue sin que me diera cuenta. He went without me realising.

a condición que on condition that

Te diré dónde vamos a estar a condición que no vengas. I'll tell you where we are going to be on condition
that you don't come.

con tal que provided that / as long as

Lo haré esta noche con tal que no me molestes más. I'll do it tonight provided that you don't bother
me any more.

*no es seguro que it's doubtful that

No es seguro que venga. It's doubtful that he'll come.

a no ser que unless

Quedaremos en casa a no ser que haga sol. We'll stay at home unless it's sunny.

es posible que it's possible that

Es posible que vayamos a la playa mañana. It's possible that we'll go to the beach
tomorrow.

es probable que
Es probable que llueva mañana. It's likely to rain tomorrow.

hasta que until

Tienes que quedar hasta que lo hayas terminado. You have stay until you've finished it.

 
 2 EXPRESSIONS WHICH SOMETIMES TAKE SUBJUNCTIVE

cuando* (when referring to the future) when

Ven cuando quieras. Come when you want.

before
antes (de) que* (when referring to the future) Let's go before they arrive.
Vámonos antes de que lleguen.

después de que* (when referring to the future) after

Iré a casa después de que todos se hayan ido. I'll go home after they've all gone.

en cuanto / tan pronto como* (when referring to the as soon as

future) Phone me as soon as he arrives.
Llámame en cuanto llegue.

mientras* (when referring to the future or unknown) as long as

Mientras me pague, no me importa. As long as he pays me, I don't mind.

siempre que* (when referring to the future or unknown) provided / providing

Puedes quedar siempre que no te muevas. You can stay provided you don't move.

quizá(s) / tal vez / acaso** perhaps

* When these verbs refer to the future or the unknown they are followed by the subjunctive. When they
express something habitual you don't use the subjunctive:

e.g. Me matará cuando se entere. = He'll kill me when he finds out.

BUT Siempre nos ayuda cuando es necesario. = She always helps us when necessary.

** They can be followed by the subjunctive or indicative. When the subjunctive is used, there is a greater
degree of doubt.

e.g. Quizá se han equivocado. Perhaps they've made a mistake.

       Quizá lo haga mañana. Perhaps I'll do it tomorrow. (more doubt)

 
 3 VERBS WHICH ALWAYS TAKE SUBJUNCTIVE

1. VERBS OF INFLUENCE ON OTHER PEOPLE

(wanting, requesting, permitting, forbidding, causing, necessity)

querer que to want

¿Quieres que me vaya? Do you want me to go?

preferir que to prefer

Sus padres prefieren que estudie medicina. His parents would prefer him to study medicine.

pedir que to ask

Me pidió que le prestara mil pesetas. He asked me to lend him a thousand pesetas.

prohibir que to forbid

Te prohíbo que me hables así. I forbid you to speak to me like that.

decir a alguien que to tell someone to

Le dije que no lo hiciera. I told him not to do it.

persuadir a alguien de que to persuade someone to

Me persuadió de que aceptara su oferta. She persuaded me to accept his offer.

hacer falta to be necessary

No hace falta que os vayáis los dos. It's not necessary for both of you to go.

es preciso* que to have to / must

Es preciso que te vayas ahora mismo. You must go right now.

no es preciso que there's no need

No es preciso que vengamos todos esta noche. We don't all need to come tonight.

* In general, the construction SER + ADJECTIVE + QUE needs the subjunctive.

e.g. Es necesario que vayamos todos. It's necessary for us all to go.
       Va a ser muy difícil que acepte. It's very unlikely that he'll accept.

The exceptions to this are SER + VERDAD and its synonyms (OBVIO, CLARO, EVIDENTE, etc.)
e.g. Es verdad que trabaja demasiado. It's true he works too much.
      Es claro que no ha estudiado. It's clear he hasn't studied.
      Es evidente que será cantante como su madre. It's obvious that she'll be a singer like her mother.
2. VERBS OF UNCERTAINTY / DOUBT etc.
 

to doubt
dudar que I never doubted that he would come.
Nunca dudé que viniera.

negar que to deny

Negó que hubiera robado la botella. He denied that he had stolen the bottle.

es increíble que it's incredible that

Es increíble que lo hayas creído. It's incredible that you believed him.

no creer que to believe

No creo que seas la persona adecuada para el trabajo. I don't think you're the right person for the job.

no parecer que to not seem

No parece que estemos tan distintos. We don't seem to be that different.

3. VERBS OF EMOTIONS / EVALUATIONS

sentir que
Siento que tengas que marcharte. to be sorry that
I'm sorry you have to go.

alegrarse de que to be glad

Me alegro que hayas venido. I'm glad you came.

extrañarse de que
Me extrañó de que no nos hubiera visto. to be surprised that
I was surprised he hadn't seen us.

tener miedo de que to be afraid / scared

Tengo miedo de que vuelvan. I'm scared they'll come back.

ser raro que to be strange that

Es raro que no lo hayas encontrado. It's strange that you haven't found it.

OTHER VERBS

esperar (a) que to expect

Esperamos a que venga mañana. We expect him to come tomorrow.

esperar que to hope that

Espero que no llegues tarde.

 
 4 OTHER USES

1. AFTER A RELATIVE REFERRING TO AN UNSPECIFIC PERSON / THING

Buscan un hombre que hable inglés para el trabajo. They are looking for a man who speaks English
for the job. (unspecific)
But: Conozco un hombre que habla inglés. I know a man who speaks English. (SPECIFIC)

2. AFTER QUE (wishing someone something)

¡Que aproveche! Bon appétit! / Enjoy your meal!

¡Que tengan un buen viaje! Have a good journey!

3. IMPERATIVES

(i) tú form negative

No lo hagas. Don't do it.
(Remember tú form affirmative: Siéntate aquí - Sit
here.)

(ii) usted form affirmative / negative

Hágalo ahora. Do it now.
No lo haga todavía. Don't do it yet.

(iii) ustedes affirmative / negative

Háganlo ahora. Do it now.
No lo hagan todavía. Don't do it yet.

(iv) vosotros negative

No lo hagáis. Don't do it.
(Remember vosotros affirmative: Cerrad la puerta -
Close the door.)

4. OJALÁ

Ojalá que Let's hope

Ojalá que no llueva mañana. Let's hope it doesn't rain tomorrow.

5. CONDITIONAL SENTENCES (when a future event is improbable or to talk about the past)

Si viniera, iríamos a ver la Alhambra. If he came, we'd go to see the Alhambra.

Si hubiera sabido, no lo habría hecho. If I had known, I wouldn't have done it.