Mi amigo el subjuntivo

FLAVA & WL Peer Group ConferenceSeptember 2014

Dr. Miguel A. Lechuga

Have you ever thought of Subjunctive as a friend?

In most texts Subjunctive in Spanish is presented as a hard part of the Grammar.

Perhaps because of the unknown aspect of it or maybe because students don’t know the existence of it in English.

Ideally we should present a new way of it to our students, no as a one more set of conjugations. Learning subjunctive could be challenging and fun.

Basic.

The subjunctive is not a tense; rather, it is a mood.

Tense refers to when an action takes place (past, present, future), while mood merely reflects how the speaker feels about the action.

The subjunctive mood is rarely used in

English, but it is used.

Examples:I suggest that you study

Examples:I suggest that you study

The doctor recommends that he take the pills with food

Examples:I suggest that you study

The doctor recommends that he take the pills with food

We recommend that she come home today

Examples:I suggest that you study

The doctor recommends that he take the pills with food

We recommend that she come home today

Robert recommended that Mary join the committee

Examples:I suggest that you study

The doctor recommends that he take the pills with food

We recommend that she come home today

Robert recommended that Mary join the committee

The mother suggests that her child eat vegetables

Examples:I suggest that you study

The doctor recommends that he take the pills with food

We recommend that she come home today

Robert recommended that Mary join the committee

The mother suggests that her child eat vegetables

The law requires that you be 18 years old to vote

Examples:I suggest that you study

The doctor recommends that he take the pills with food

We recommend that she come home today

Robert recommended that Mary join the committeeThe mother suggests that her child eat vegetables

The law requires that you be 18 years old to vote

If I were a rich man, I wouldn't have to work hard

Is it essential that we be there?

Examples:I suggest that you study

The doctor recommends that he take the pills with food

We recommend that she come home today

Robert recommended that Mary join the committeeThe mother suggests that her child eat vegetables

The law requires that you be 18 years old to vote

If I were a rich man, I wouldn't have to work hard

Is it essential that we be there?Yes, it is important that you be there on time

As teachers, we need to pretend two things:

a. The action that the acting (main) subject wants is not already done at the present.

b. We will follow the “math” formula:

S1 V1 que S2 VS

S1 V1 que S2 VS

S1 is the main subject or subjects.

V1 is the main verb and is conjugated in the normal conjugation.

que is the most important part of the sentence since is the hint, the nexus of the two sentences.

S1 ≠ S2; S2 is other subject(s)

VS is the verb, conjugated in the subjunctive tense.

Important, and logic:

We cannot teach subjunctive if students don’t know the indicative present tense.

The indicative present tense of the three regular endings:

-AR -ER -IRYo habl – o com – o escrib – o Tú habl – as com – es escrib – esEl /ella /Ud. habl – a com – e escrib – eNosotros habl – amos com – emos escrib – emos Vosotros habl – áis com – éis escrib – éisEllos/as/Uds. habl - an com – en escrib – en

“Copy Cat Endings”

-ar endings are the same as –er and -ir endings in the present indicative except in

the yo form.

-er and -ir endings are the same as -ar endings in the present indicative except in

the yo form.

Using the same verbs, we have,

The subjunctive present tense of the three regular endings:

-AR -ER -IRYo habl – e com – a escrib – a Tú habl – es com – as escrib – asEl /ella /Ud. habl – e com – a escrib – aNosotros habl – emos com – amos escrib – amos Vosotros habl – éis com – áis escrib – áisEllos/as/Uds. habl - en com – an escrib – an

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W------------------------------ Will - Wish Juan (no) quiere que Ana hable con Ricardo.

Do you remember the math formula? S1 V1 que S2 VS Juan is S1, quiere is V1, que is que, Ana is S2 and hable is VS

V1 : Querer, desear, preferir, insistir, necesitar, etc…..

Juan (no) desea que Ana trabaje en ese restaurante.

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E----------------------------- Emotions.

(No) Me gusta que Peter hable en español

Me gusta que Peter is S2 hable is VS en español

V1 : Alegrarse, entristecerse, gustar, sentir, etc….. …..

Nos alegra que Peter hable en español.

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I ----------------------------- Impersonal Expressions

(No) Es necesario que Marie estudie la lección.

IE : Es posible….Es imposible….Es interesante… Es lógico…

Es posible que yo aprenda subjuntivo

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R --------------------------- Request

El profesor manda que salgamos de la clase

V1: Pedir, decir, ordenar, prohibir, exigir, permitir, recomendar, These verbs requiere indirect object proun.

El profesor nos manda que salgamos de la clase

Te digo que estudies la lección.

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D ----------------------------- Doubts and Denials

Theresa duda que la clase termine pronto. V1 : Dudar, negar, no creer, etc.

Theresa duda que la clase termine pronto. Theresa no duda que la clase termina pronto.

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O ----------------------------- Ojala / Ojalá (que)

Ojala las preguntas sean fáciles Ojala que mi padre me compre un auto nuevo

V1: (There is no verb) Spanish transIation: if God grants

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W

Mi amigo quiere que ………………. (yo) estudiar, mirar, hablar Mi madre desea que ………….(yo /sujeto) limpiar, estudiar, preparar

Pero yo no quiero que …………….. mi madre / mi profesor ……

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Decir, digo ---- diga, digas, diga, digamos, digáis, digan. Hacer, hago----hag… Poner, pongo --- Salir, salgo----- Traer traigo----- Venir vengo----

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Hay (there is /are) always is haya

Ir voy ----- vaya, vayas, vaya, vayamos, vayáis, vayan Saber se ------ sepa, sepas, sepa,

Ser soy ----- sea, seas, sea,

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W

Los estudiantes quieren que no……………. (hay) clase hoy.

Es tarde, necesito que tú……….. (ir) a la tienda a por leche. Mi madre desea que yo siempre ………… (decir) la verdad.

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E

Siento mucho que tú ……….(estar) enfermo.

Mi madre se alegra de que yo ……..(tener) una A en español. Me molesta que nosotros …………….(hacer) un test el lunes.

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Me alegra que Miguel nos ………..(hay) enseñado el subjuntivo

hoy. Me molesta que nosotros ……..(tener) que esperar hasta el

año que viene para que nosotros ………….(practicar) el

subjuntivo en pasado o en frases en que ……..(hay) dudas o que

no ………………(saber) si va a ocurrir. Por lo tanto, es necesario

que yo ……..… (venir) el año que viene.

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