What is the Present Subjunctive?
The present subjunctive is not a tense, but a mood. It is incredibly common in Spanish, but it has a golden rule: it cannot exist alone. Another element or trigger earlier in the sentence always causes it to be used.
You will typically need to use the subjunctive after:
💡 Certain impersonal expressions
🔄 Certain verbs
🔗 Certain conjunctions
📐 Certain dependent adjectives
🗣️ Certain expressions
The Golden Rule of Formation
To form the present subjunctive for almost any verb, follow this simple formula:
Start with the
yo(first-person singular) form of the present indicative (the regular present tense).Drop the -o to find your stem.
Add your new subjunctive endings!
💡 Pro-Tip: Because the stem comes directly from the yo form, any irregularity that exists in the present tense yo form carries over into the entire present subjunctive! Practice your yo forms, and the subjunctive will become a breeze. (Note: There are only six verbs in the entire language that don't follow this yo form rule!)
1. Conjugating -Ar Verbs
For -ar verbs, drop the -o from the yo form and add the "opposite" vowel endings:
-e, -es, -e, -emos, -éis, -en.
Notice that the yo and él/ella/Ud. forms are completely identical in the subjunctive!
| Infinitive | present yo form | Present Subjunctive Conjugations |
| bailar (to dance) | bailo | yo baile, tú bailes, él/ella baile, nosotros bailemos, vosotros bailéis, ellos/ellas bailen |
| cantar (to sing) | canto | yo cante, tú cantes, él cante, nosotros cantemos, vosotros cantéis, ellos canten |
| cerrar (to close)* | cierro | yo cierre, tú cierres, Ud. cierre, nosotros cerremos, vosotros cerréis, Uds. cierren |
| pensar (to think)* | pienso | yo piense, tú pienses, ella piense, nosotros pensemos, vosotros penséis, ellas piensen |
| recordar (to remember)* | recuerdo | yo recuerde, tú recuerdes, él recuerde, nosotros recordemos, vosotros recordéis, ellos recuerden |
⚠️ A Note on Stem Changes:
While bailar and cantar are regular, notice that cerrar, pensar, and recordar have stem changes (e ➔ ie or o ➔ ue). These stem changes stay exactly the same in the subjunctive mood, except in the nosotros and vosotros forms, which remain unaffected.
2. Conjugating -Er and -Ir Verbs
For -er and -ir verbs, you drop the -o from the yo form and add the opposite vowel endings:
-a, -as, -a, -amos, -áis, -an.
-Er Verbs Examples
| Infinitive | present yo form | Present Subjunctive Conjugations |
| comer (to eat) | como | yo coma, tú comas, él coma, nosotros comamos, vosotros comáis, ellos coman |
| querer (to want)* | quiero | yo quiera, tú quieras, ella quiera, nosotros queramos, vosotros queráis, ellas quieran |
| poder (to be able)* | puedo | yo pueda, tú puedas, Ud. pueda, nosotros podamos, vosotros podáis, Uds. puedan |
| ver (to see)* | veo | yo vea, tú veas, él vea, nosotros veamos, vosotros veáis, ellos vean |
Note: Just like with -ar verbs, notice that stem changes do not affect the nosotros and vosotros forms of querer and poder. For ver, its natural present tense irregularity (veo) gives it its clean subjunctive stem (ve-).
-Ir Verbs Examples
| Infinitive | present yo form | Present Subjunctive Conjugations |
| vivir (to live) | vivo | yo viva, tú vivas, él viva, nosotros vivamos, vosotros viváis, ellos vivan |
| mentir (to lie)* | miento | yo mienta, tú mientas, ella mienta, nosotros mintamos, vosotros mintáis, ellas mientan |
| pedir (to ask for)* | pido | yo pida, tú pidas, Ud. pida, nosotros pidamos, vosotros pidáis, Uds. pidan |
| dormir (to sleep)* | duermo | yo duerma, tú duermas, él duerma, nosotros durmamos, vosotros durmáis, ellos duerman |