30 subjunctive phrases: a Spanish survival guide

The subjunctive mood has a reputation for being one of the most challenging aspects of Spanish grammar, even for advanced students. And while most learners struggle with the subjunctive at some point in their studies, for many native English speakers, the concept is especially confusing as it is rarely used in their mother tongue.

Learning when to use the subjunctive in the same way that native Spanish speakers do is a process, and patience is a must if you want to succeed in the long-term. Still, there are ways to make the journey a little less painful!

This guide focuses on 30 essential subjunctive phrases, with clear examples and translations to help you understand this aspect of the Spanish language - and survive real conversations!

Key takeaways

• The Spanish subjunctive mood functions in a similar way to modal verbs, and 'that' and 'if' clauses in English

• Many common expressions in Spanish require the use of the subjunctive mood in order to be understood

• Spanish subjunctive sentences usually feature main clauses and subordinate clauses

• A private Spanish teacher can develop a personalised study plan to ensure that common mistakes don't become ingrained.

What is the Spanish subjunctive?

Unlike the present indicative, which is used to relay factual information, the Spanish subjunctive mood is a special form used to talk about less tangible, more abstract concepts. It’s commonly used to:

• Express doubt, emotions, wishes, and opinions

• Refer to a future action, or future event

• Describe hypothetical situations

The subjunctive mood in Spanish is structured using dependent clauses, which typically feature the word que:

• Ella quiere que tú estudies

• Esperamos que tengas un buen viaje

• Dudo que llueva

In Spanish most subjunctive sentences have two clauses: a main clause, and a subordinate (or dependent) clause:

Es probable que salga el sol después
Es mejor que hagas los deberes ahora
Es importante que te vayas el médico

Memorising this basic structure can help you to identify, and later use the subjunctive mood in Spanish correctly.

Common subjunctive mistakes that English-speaking learners make

There are certain errors that English-speaking students are inclined to make when they begin to tackle the subjunctive mood in Spanish:

• One common mistake is using the present indicative after expressions that require the subjunctive, leading to incorrect phrasing such as es importante que haces esto or quiero que tienes un buen viaje.

• Another frequent error is forgetting the que that links two-clause sentences together.

• Many students also overuse the subjunctive in phrases containing words like cuando or aunque when referring to past or habitual actions, as opposed to future or hypothetical ones.

• Learners often try to translate directly from English. In Spanish, the meaning of a sentence - not its equivalent English structure - determines whether the subjunctive is needed.

Let’s look at some of the most common subjunctive phrases you’ll hear in everyday conversations!

30 essential Spanish subjunctive phrases

Opinions and necessity (impersonal expressions )

These phrases almost always trigger the use of the present subjunctive.

1. Es importante que
   Es importante que revises el contrato.
   → It’s important that you review the contract.

2. Conviene que
   Conviene que cuidemos el medio ambiente.
   → It’s advisable that we take care of the environment.

3. Es necesario que
   Es necesario que completes el formulario.
   → It’s necessary that you complete the form.

4. Hace falta que
   Hace falta que resolvamos este problema.
   → It’s necessary that we solve this problem.

5. Es posible que
   Es posible que cambien las normas.
   → It’s possible that the rules change.

6. Es probable que
   Es probable que el evento se cancele.
   → It’s likely that the event will be cancelled.

7. Puede que
   Puede que recibamos noticias pronto.
   → We might receive news soon.

8. Es bueno que
   Es bueno que pruebes algo nuevo.
   → It’s good that you try something new.

9. Es mejor que
   Es mejor que tomes otra ruta.
   → It’s better that you take another route.

Verbs of desire, hope and emotion

These phrases express wishes, feelings, and expectations and naturally lead to the use of the Spanish subjunctive.

10. Quiero que
    Quiero que expliques tu idea.
    → I want you to explain your idea.

11. Prefiero que
    Prefiero que participes en el proyecto.
    → I prefer that you take part in the project.

12. Espero que
    Espero que encuentres alojamiento.
    → I hope you find accommodation.

13. Deseo que
    Deseo que mejore la situación.
    → I wish the situation would improve.

14. Me alegro de que
    Me alegro de que hayas llegado sano y salvo.
    → I’m glad you arrived safe and sound.

15. Me encanta que
    Me encanta que compartas tus opiniones.
    → I love that you share your opinions.

16. Temo que
    Temo que pierdan los documentos.
    → I’m afraid they might lose the documents.

Purpose and adverbial clauses

These phrases introduce adverbial clauses and often refer to an objective goal, or future event.

17. Para que
    Ajusté el micrófono para que se oyera mejor.
    → I adjusted the microphone so that it could be heard better.

18. A fin de que
    Guardamos silencio a fin de que empiece la presentación.
    → We stayed quiet so that the presentation could begin.

19. Antes de que
    Cierra la puerta antes de que salga el perro.
    → Close the door before the dog gets out.

20. Cuando (future meaning)
    Cuando termine el curso, viajaré por Europa.
    → When the course finishes, I’ll travel around Europe.

Doubt vs belief: subjunctive or indicative?

Examples 21 and 22 here show the difference between the use of the subjunctive and the indicative moods for positive and negative statements with the verb creer.

21. No creo que
    No creo que tenga razón.
    → I don’t think he/she is right.

22. Creo que (indicative)
    Creo que es una buena idea.
    → I think it’s a good idea.

23. Dudo que
    Dudo que entiendan el problema.
    → I doubt that they understand the problem.

24. Es posible que
    Es posible que no funcione.
    → It’s possible that it doesn’t work.

Common fixed expressions

The following phrases are extremely common in spoken Spanish.

25. Ojalá que
    Ojalá que vengas mañana.
    → I hope you come tomorrow.

26. Es una lástima que
    Es una lástima que no podamos asistir al evento.
    → It’s a shame that we can’t attend the event.

27. No importa que
    No importa que cambien el horario.
    → It doesn’t matter if they change the schedule.

28. Sea como sea
    Sea como sea la decisión, la respetaremos.
    → Whatever the decision is, we’ll respect it.

29. O sea
    Llegamos tarde, o sea, no entramos.
    → We arrived late, that is, we didn’t get in.

30. Aunque sea
    Le voy a llamar, aunque sea tarde.
    → I’m going to call him, even if it’s late.

Making the Spanish subjunctive easy

The Spanish subjunctive isn’t just about rote learning rules - it’s about understanding meaning. If a sentence is focused on hope, doubt, emotion, or something that hasn’t happened yet, we rely on the Spanish subjunctive mood in order to express it.

Some tips to learn the subjunctive include:

• Memorise a handful of phrases such as es importante que lo hagas and espero que te encuentres bien to use as a reference for remembering subjunctive structures.

• Watch films in Spanish for a fun study session that breaks the routine

• Read up on common Spanish mistakes to learn more about how to use the subjunctive

• Working with an online Spanish tutor to boost your grammar skills is the best way to grasp tricky subjunctive phrases

By following these steps, you’ll gain the confidence to form natural sentences that sound fluent and authentic - and you'll be one step closer to thinking in Spanish rather than translating word by word!