Reaching an advanced level of Spanish is not as simple as one might wish. It requires many hours of practice and study, tons of patience, and impeccable levels of consistency and discipline. Even so, this adventure is so wonderful and rewarding that no effort will be in vain.
Some grammatical resources in Spanish are complex; however, to truly earn the title of "advanced student," mastering them is essential. The subjunctive mood can be quite a challenge for many students. If this is your case, don't worry! This verbal mood has always been difficult to master.
Keep reading! Discover how using the advanced subjunctive can make a difference in your conversational skills.
To focus on the subjunctive, we must first understand what verb moods are.
In short, these are the different changes that verbs undergo according to their conjugation. In other words, verb moods reflect the communicative purpose, intention, or position of the speaker in relation to what is being said.
In Spanish, there are 3 verb moods: Indicative, Imperative, and Subjunctive.
The subjunctive is used to express doubt, probability, desires, feelings, or when giving suggestions and advice. Here are some examples:
To express doubts:
To express feelings/wishes:
To suggest and advise:
Let's not confuse verb moods with verb tenses. Verb moods indicate the speaker's attitude towards the action of the verb. On the other hand, verb tenses place the occurrence of an action in a specific time.
We can use the subjunctive with the following verb tenses: Present, Present Perfect, Imperfect, and Pluperfect.
It is used to express feelings and wishes but also to talk about probabilities and uncertainties both in the present and the future. Example:
This tense is used to indicate actions that occurred in the past but are related to the action happening in the main clause. To use it, apply the present subjunctive conjugation of the auxiliary verb ‘haber’ (haya, hayamos, hayas) and add the past participle of the main verb. Example:
Mastering this tense is essential to clarify the context of the conversation. It is used to express past actions, possibilities, wishes, doubts, and hypothetical situations. Example:
This tense is used to indicate real actions that took place before another in the past and also to refer to actions that could have happened if other circumstances had not occurred. To use this tense, the auxiliary verb ‘haber’ in the imperfect subjunctive (hubieras, hubiera, hubiéramos, etc.) plus the past participle of the main verb is used. Examples:
Formulating sentences using the subjunctive for advanced learners can be tricky. Fortunately, there are a series of phrases and words that typically accompany this verb mood and that you can use as a guide:
Memorizing and practicing these phrases and words will familiarize you with the subjunctive. Additionally, it will help you quickly set the context of the conversation.
Do you already know how to use the subjunctive in conversation? If so, congratulations! And if not, don’t worry. Below, we’ll share some common examples to further reinforce your learning.
Take advantage of this list of sentences that use the advanced subjunctive! It’s your turn to practice. Study these examples and modify them by substituting the subjects, verbs, and context in your own way. You can do it!
In short, the advanced subjunctive is one of the most challenging grammatical resources for Spanish students to master. However, it is essential for properly providing the context of the ongoing conversation and achieving communicative clarity.
Don’t give up on the subjunctive! Study, be patient, practice a lot, and enjoy your process.
Sooner or later, you’ll master it!