In short

The present subjunctive is a second set of present-tense endings used in subordinate clauses (usually after que) to express wishes, doubt, emotion and the like. Build it from the yo form of the present indicative: drop the -o and add the “opposite” endings (-ar verbs take -e endings; -er/-ir verbs take -a endings).

The rule

Spanish verbs have two moods. The indicative states facts (Sé que viene, “I know he’s coming”). The subjunctive appears in a subordinate clause after a trigger of wish, emotion, doubt, etc., presenting the action as not asserted as fact (Quiero que venga, “I want him to come”). This lesson is only about the forms; lessons 39-43 cover when to use them.

Step 1 - Start from the yo form. Take the first-person singular of the present indicative and drop the -o. This automatically carries over any irregular yo or stem change:

• hablar -> hablo -> habl-
• comer -> como -> com-
• tener -> tengo -> teng-
• conocer -> conozco -> conozc-
• salir -> salgo -> salg-

Step 2 - Add the “opposite” endings. -ar verbs take e-endings; -er/-ir verbs take a-endings (see the table).

Step 3 - Stem changes carry through, keeping the “boot” (all forms except nosotros/vosotros): querer -> quiera… queramos, poder -> pueda… podamos. But -ir stem-changers also change in nosotros/vosotros (o->u, e->i): durmamos, pidamos, sintamos.

Step 4 - Spelling changes keep the consonant sound (as in the preterite yo): buscar -> busque, llegar -> llegue, empezar -> empiece, coger -> coja, seguir -> siga.

Step 5 - Six irregular verbs whose yo indicative does not end in -o: ser, estar, ir, haber, saber, dar (see the table). Note the written accents: esté, estés, estén and dé (to tell it from de).

Forms & patterns

Regular verbs (yo-stem + opposite endings):

Irregular yo stems carry into every person:

-ir stem-changers (watch the nosotros/vosotros vowel):

The six irregulars:

haber is also the verb behind impersonal hay (“there is / there are”): hay -> haya, one form for singular and plural alike - Puede que haya sitio. No creo que haya entradas.

Examples

Common mistakes

• Quiero que hablas con ella -> Quiero que hables con ella - after a trigger + que, use the subjunctive (hables), not the indicative (hablas).
• tengo -> tena -> tenga - keep the irregular yo stem: teng-, salg-, conozc- all survive into the subjunctive.
• busce, llege -> busque, llegue - -car/-gar verbs need the spelling change (qu, gu) to keep the hard sound.
• duermamos -> durmamos - -ir stem-changers reduce the vowel (o->u, e->i) in nosotros/vosotros, unlike -ar/-er verbs.
• de, este -> dé, esté - write the accents: dé (vs de), esté / estés / estén.
• vaiga, haiga -> vaya, haya - very common in speech but non-standard; the correct forms are vaya and haya.

Tips

• One-line rule: “yo form, drop the -o, flip the vowel.” -ar goes to e, -er/-ir go to a.
• Because it starts from yo, every irregular yo (-go, -zco) and every stem change comes along for free - you never learn them twice.
• Only six verbs are truly irregular (ser, estar, ir, haber, saber, dar); their yo indicative doesn’t end in -o.
• The nosotros form is where -ir stem-changers surprise you: durmamos, pidamos, sintamos, muramos.
• If you can form the polite usted command (hable, coma, escriba), you already know the subjunctive - they are identical.