Presente de Subjuntivo III

Ojalá no llueva mañana

In this lesson we are going to discover more Subjuntivo use-cases. Here you’ll find the rest of the most common markers, that are used very often in everyday life. Many of them are not verbs or verb constructions, like in the previous lesson, but more like logical situations, where Presente de Subjuntivo should be applied.

1. Para que – so that, in order to

Te escribo para que sepas que no me olvidé de ti – I write to you so that you know, that I didn’t forget about you

El profesor pone malas notas para que los alumnos se porten bien – The teacher gives bad grades so that the pupils behave better

Try it yourself:

I give you my number so that you call me

We’ll put cameras so that we are not robbed

I can put on the air conditioner so that you feel comfortable (vosotros)

As you know, the para preposition can be used independently right before an infinitive: para estudiar – for learning, to learn; para comer – for eating, to eat.

If we add the que conjunction, Subjuntivo should be used: para que estudies – so that you learn, para que coman – so that they eat.

There is some difference between such sentences. If you use para + infinitivo, the infinitive will refer to the same person as the verb in the first part of the sentence.

Necesito este libro para estudiar español – I need this book for learning Spanish

Compramos unas hamburguesas para comer – We buy some hamburgers to eat

If you use para que + Subjuntivo, the verb in Subjuntivo will refer to a person different from the first verb.

Necesito este libro para que estudies español – I need this book so that you learn Spanish

Compramos unas hamburguesas para que nuestros niños coman – We buy some hamburgers so that our children eat

Try it yourself:

We learn Spanish to live in Spain

We learn Spanish so that Spaniards understand us

Marta looks for a movie to watch

Marta looks for a movie so that she and Silvio watch it

2. Ojalá – If only

Ojalá haga sol hoy – If only it would be sunny today

Ojalá Ricardo me devuelva las herramientas – If only Ricardo would give me the tools back

Ojalá + Presente de Subjuntivo always refers either to the present or the future.

Try it yourself:

If only it would rain

If only she didn’t have a boyfriend

If only I would be hired

If only my granny was at home

3. Que – Let

Que entren – Let them come in

Que diga lo que vio – Let him tell what he saw

Que tengan cuidado – Let them be careful

¡Que viva España! – Long live Spain!

Try it yourself:

Let him speak

Let them think that you are a professional

Let her look for a new job

It’s very common to use que + Subjuntivo to express wishes to someone.

Que duermas bien – Sleep well!

¡Que tengas suerte! – Good luck!

¡Que te vaya bien! – I wish you well!

¡Que seáis felices! – Be happy!

¡Que tengan feliz tarde! – Have a good day!

¡Que se mejore tu padre! – I wish your father to get better!

In the colloquial Spanish the word que allows to make requests or commands, just like Imperativo. This is a more insistent way of expressing a demand.

Vete = ¡Que te vayas! – Go away!

Apúrate = ¡Que te apures! – Hurry up!

Dime, dónde está la llave = ¡Que me digas, dónde está la llave! – Tell me, where the key is!

Try it yourself:

I wish you take a rest

Have a nice weekend (usted)

Have a good time (vosotros)

Go out!

Stop the car!

Put on the hats! (vosotros)

4. Cuando, en cuanto

cuando – when

en cuanto – as soon as

Cuando tenga todas las fotos, te las muestro – When I have all the photos, I’ll show them to you

En cuanto me den la señal, te aviso – As soon as I get the signal, I’ll let you know

You probably come across the cuando pronoun very often, but you didn’t expect, that it requires Subjuntivo. This happens only when the sentence is referred exclusively to the future. If it’s referred to the present or the past, simple Indicative tenses are used.

Future: Cuando salgan los episodios nuevos, los veré – When the new episodes come out, I’ll watch them

Present: Cuando salen los episodios nuevos, los veo – When the new episodes come out, I watch them

Past: Cuando salían los episodios nuevos, los veía – When the new episodes came out, I watched them

The use of Subjuntivo meaning a future action can be explained as something uncertain. It’s not known for sure, when exactly an action will be produced, but as soon as it’s produced, something else will happen.

En cuanto works the same way.

En cuanto tengamos las entradas, os llamaremos – As soon as we get the tickets, we’ll call you

Iré a Barcelona en cuanto me inviten – I’ll go to Barcelona as soon as I’m invited

Try it yourself:

When my parents leave, I’ll call you

Samuel will buy bread when the shops open

When we went out, it started to rain

As soon as you say a word, I’ll see if you know Spanish

5. Antes de que, después de que, hasta que

antes de que – before

después de que – after

hasta que (no) – until

mientras – while, as long as

Tenemos que llegar al cine antes de que empiece la peli – We have to get to the cinema before the movie starts

Iremos a pescar después de que se derrita el hielo – We’ll go fishing after the snow melts

No te compraré la consola hasta que no pases todos los exámenes – I won’t buy you a console until you pass all the exams

No volveré a mi país mientras dure la guerra – I won’t return to my country as long as the war lasts

Try it yourself:

Go to a doctor before it’s too late

He’ll start working only after I tell it to him

I won’t drink wine as long as I’m sick

We won’t go out until the rain stops

6. Aunque

aunque – even if

The conjunction aunque has two meanings: although and even if. When it means although, use Indicativo. When it means even if, use Subjuntivo.

Miguel hace mucho deporte aunque ya no es joven – Miguel does much sports, although he isn’t young

Tienes que estudiar mucho aunque no quieras – You have to learn a lot, even if you don’t want to

Try it yourself:

I help him, although we are not friends

I’ll help him even if he’ll refuse

We are learning Spanish, although it’s hard

We want to learn Spanish, even if it’ll be hard

7. Que …

Que meaning who would, that would …

Buscamos a un traductor que sepa el español de negocios – We are looking for a translator, who would know business Spanish

Quiero alojarme en un hotel que no sea muy caro – I want to stay at a hotel, that wouldn’t be very expensive

Rogelio piensa aprender una lengua que le permita viajar por toda Europa – Rogelio thinks of learning a language, that would let him travel throughout Europe

Try it yourself:

We are waiting for a moment, that would change our life

The company is looking for an architect, who could create a similar project

I don’t know anyone, who would have such a beautiful voice

8. Set phrases with Subjuntivo

sea como sea – anyway, in any case

digan lo que digan – no matter what they say

pase lo que pase – whatever happens, no matter what (happens)

estén donde estén – wherever they are, no matter where they are

que yo sepa – as far as I know

Digan lo que digan, no voy a la mili – No matter what they say, I won’t go to the army

Tenemos que estar juntos pase lo que pase – We have to be together, no matter what

Vayas donde vayas, te encontraré – No matter where you go, I’ll find you

Que yo sepa, en esta calle no hay cajeros automáticos – As far as I know, there are no ATMs on this street

Try it yourself:

I’ll talk to that hooligan anyway

No matter what they say, we’ll stay here

As far as I know, kangaroos don’t live in Austria

As far as I remember, your brother’s name is Nick