Subjunctive: wishes, emotion & influence
B1 El subjuntivo: deseo, emoción e influencia 39 / 49
In short
After a main verb of wish, influence, emotion, or value judgment, a clause introduced by que takes the subjunctive - but only when the subject changes. If the subject stays the same, use a plain infinitive instead.
The rule
The structure is [trigger] + que + [new subject in the subjunctive]. Two conditions must both be true:
- The main verb is a trigger - a wish, an attempt to influence, an emotion, or a judgment.
- The subordinate clause has a different subject from the main clause.
Step 1 - Wishes & desire: querer, desear, esperar, preferir, necesitar + que, and ojalá (que) (“I hope / if only”):
Quiero que vengas. - I want you to come. Ojalá haga sol mañana. - I hope it’s sunny tomorrow.
Step 2 - Influence (getting someone to act: request, advice, order, permission, prohibition): pedir, rogar, aconsejar, recomendar, sugerir, mandar, ordenar, permitir, dejar, prohibir, hacer + que:
El médico recomienda que descanses. - The doctor recommends that you rest. Te prohíbo que salgas. - I forbid you to go out.
hacer que also works when the cause is a thing, not a person - the subjunctive follows just the same: El ruido hace que me despierte, “the noise wakes me up”.
Note: decir + indicative reports a fact (Dice que viene, “says he’s coming”); decir + subjunctive gives an order (Dice que venga, “tells him to come”).
Step 3 - Emotion & feelings: alegrarse de, sentir (“to be sorry”), lamentar, temer, tener miedo de, gustar, encantar, molestar, sorprender + que; and es una pena / lástima que:
Me alegro de que estés aquí. - I’m glad you’re here. Nos molesta que fuméis dentro. - It bothers us that you smoke inside.
Step 4 - Value judgments (impersonal es + … + que): es importante, es necesario, es mejor, es bueno, es malo, es lógico, hace falta, conviene + que:
Es importante que estudies. - It’s important that you study.
The trigger does not have to be in the present: after a present perfect trigger the subordinate verb still takes the present subjunctive, because the wish or request is still current - Nos han pedido que lleguemos pronto, “they’ve asked us to arrive early”.
Same subject -> infinitive. If the subject does not change, drop que and use the infinitive:
- Quiero salir. (I want to leave) vs Quiero que salgas. (I want you to leave)
- Espero aprobar. vs Espero que (tú) apruebes.
- Es mejor esperar. (general) vs Es mejor que (tú) esperes.
Verbs that need a preposition keep it before the infinitive: Me alegro de verte / Me alegro de que vengas.
Forms & patterns
| Category | Typical triggers | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Wish / desire | querer, esperar, desear, ojalá | Espero que ganes. |
| Influence | pedir, aconsejar, recomendar, prohibir | Te aconsejo que vayas. |
| Emotion | alegrarse de, sentir, gustar, molestar | Me alegro de que estés bien. |
| Judgment | es importante / necesario / mejor que | Es mejor que descanses. |
Same subject vs different subject:
| Same subject -> infinitive | Different subject -> que + subjunctive |
|---|---|
| Quiero descansar. | Quiero que (tú) descanses. |
| Espero llegar a tiempo. | Espero que (ellos) lleguen a tiempo. |
| Prefiero no salir. | Prefiero que (vosotros) no salgáis. |
Examples
| Español | English |
|---|---|
| Quiero que me llames esta noche. | I want you to call me tonight. |
| Esperamos que tengáis un buen viaje. | We hope you have a good trip. |
| Ojalá no llueva el domingo. | I hope it doesn’t rain on Sunday. |
| El profesor nos pide que hagamos los deberes. | The teacher asks us to do the homework. |
| Me alegro de que estés mejor. | I’m glad you’re better. |
| Es importante que bebas más agua. | It’s important that you drink more water. |
| Te aconsejo que no comas tanta sal. | I advise you not to eat so much salt. |
| Es una pena que no puedan venir. | It’s a shame they can’t come. |
Common mistakes
- Quiero que vienes -> Quiero que vengas - a wish + que forces the subjunctive, never the indicative.
- Quiero que (yo) salga -> Quiero salir - when the subject doesn’t change, drop que and use the infinitive.
- Espero que vendrás -> Espero que vengas - use the present subjunctive after espero que, not the future indicative.
- Es importante que estudiar -> Es importante que estudies (or Es importante estudiar) - with que you need a conjugated verb; with no subject, drop que and use the infinitive.
- Me alegro que estés -> Me alegro de que estés - alegrarse keeps its preposition de before que.
- Dice que tomas la pastilla (as an order) -> Dice que tomes la pastilla - decir as a command takes the subjunctive; only as a report does it take the indicative.
Tips
- Ask two questions: Is the main verb a wish / order / emotion / judgment? Does the subject change? Only if both are “yes” do you use the subjunctive.
- WEIRDO collects the triggers: Wishes, Emotions, Impersonal judgments, Requests, Doubt/denial, Ojalá (Doubt is the next lesson).
- ojalá always takes the subjunctive; its que is optional (Ojalá venga = Ojalá que venga).
- Same subject means infinitive: “I want to sleep” is Quiero dormir, never Quiero que duerma.
- decir, insistir en, escribir flip: + indicative reports information, + subjunctive gives an instruction.