Learn the Spanish Subjunctive Mood
Explore all subjunctive triggers with examples and audio. Learn interactively with native Spanish teachers.Verbs of influence, desire, recommendation, etc., always require the subjunctive, both in the affirmative and negative forms.
💬 Verbs of Influence – Verbos de Influencia
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| aconsejar | to advise |
| mandar | to order |
| pedir | to ask for |
| recomendar | to recommend |
| rogar | to beg |
| sugerir | to suggest |
| prohibir | to forbid |
| permitir | to allow |
| dejar | to let / allow |
| exigir | to demand |
| insistir en | to insist on |
| ordenar | to order |
| suplicar | to implore |
Te recomiendo que estudies más.
I recommend that you study more.
🌠 Verbs of Desire – Verbos de Deseo o Voluntad
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| querer | to want |
| desear | to wish |
| esperar | to hope |
| preferir | to prefer |
| necesitar | to need |
| insistir en | to insist on |
| ojalá (que) | I hope / hopefully |
Espero que tengas un buen día.
I hope you have a good day.
💖 Verbs of Emotion – Verbos de Emoción
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| alegrarse de | to be glad |
| temer | to fear |
| gustar | to like |
| molestar | to bother |
| sentir / lamentar | to regret / to be sorry |
| sorprender | to surprise |
Me alegro de que hayas venido.
I’m glad that you came.
❓ Verbs of Doubt or Denial – Verbos de Duda o Negación
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| dudar | to doubt |
| no creer | to not believe |
| no pensar | to not think |
| negar | to deny |
| no estar seguro de | to not be sure |
Dudo que él tenga razón.
I doubt that he’s right.
🗣️ Impersonal Expressions – Expresiones Impersonales
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| es importante que | it’s important that |
| es necesario que | it’s necessary that |
| es posible que | it’s possible that |
| es una lástima que | it’s a pity that |
🧭 Conjunctions that Require Subjunctive – Conjunciones que Requieren Subjuntivo
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| a menos que | unless |
| antes de que | before |
| para que | so that |
| sin que | without |
| en caso de que | in case |
“Head Verbs” (Verbos de cabeza)
Head verbs — verbs related to thinking, perceiving, or communicating — normally use the indicative because they express certainty or personal belief. However, when used in the negative form, they introduce doubt or uncertainty, and therefore require the subjunctive.
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| pensar | to think |
| creer | to believe |
| imaginar | to imagine |
| ver | to see |
| mirar | to look at |
| oler | to smell |
| decir | to say |
| explicar | to explain |
| contar | to tell |
| oír | to hear |
| escuchar | to listen |
| notar | to notice |
| percibir | to perceive |
| sentir | to feel |
Examples:
Creo que ella viene. → “I think she is coming.” (indicative)
No creo que ella venga. → “I don’t think she is coming.” (subjunctive)