C1 · The subjunctive
Subjunctive: where the mood changes the meaning
Que llueva no me importa, el hecho de que, and decir and sentir with two meanings.
At a glance
- Remember
- The mood can carry the meaning: dice que viene reports, dice que vengas tells someone to.
- Form
- Que lo sepa todo el mundo me molesta.clause as subject
- Signal words
- que
- el hecho de que
- dice que
- siento que
- no crees que
- Trap
- Wrong:Le dije que se callaba, pero siguió hablando.Right:Le dije que se callara, pero siguió hablando.
Your turn
5 exercises on this topic. Your answers are checked in the browser; none of them leaves your device.
The form
| clause as subject | Que lo sepa todo el mundo me molesta. |
| el hecho de que | El hecho de que sea rico no le da derecho. |
| decir: reporting | Dice que viene mañana. |
| decir: telling someone to | Dice que vengas mañana. |
| sentir: sensing | Siento que me están mirando. |
| sentir: regretting | Siento que no puedas venir. |
| negative question | ¿No crees que es demasiado tarde? |
The rules one by one
The form this topic is aboutThe word that calls for it
A que-clause placed first as the subject takes the subjunctive.
Que no me hayas llamado me ha dolido.That you did not call me hurt me.
decir with the subjunctive is a request.
Mi madre dice que vuelvas pronto.My mother says you should come back soon.
sentir with the subjunctive means «to be sorry».
Siento que tengas que irte.I am sorry you have to leave.
A negative question that really makes a claim takes the indicative.
¿No crees que exagera un poco?Do you not think he is exaggerating a bit?
Example sentences
Que estés aquí me alegra mucho.I am very glad that you are here.
El hecho de que sea joven no importa.The fact that he is young does not matter.
Le dije que cerrara la puerta.I told him to close the door.
Le dije que la puerta estaba cerrada.I told him that the door was closed.
6 more example sentences
Que llueva tanto no es normal.It is not normal for it to rain so much.
Entiendo que estés enfadado.I understand that you are angry.
Entiendo que estás de acuerdo, ¿no?I take it that you agree, right?
Siento que algo no va bien.I sense that something is wrong.
¿No te parece que hace demasiado calor?Do you not think it is too hot?
Le escribí que me enviara los papeles.I wrote asking him to send me the papers.
The trap English speakers fall into
Watch out
decir always gets the indicative, because «say» feels like reporting: Le dije que se callaba. But where English would say «I told him to …», decir is an instruction and needs the subjunctive: Le dije que se callara — «I told him to be quiet».
The full explanation
Read it all · about 1 min
When a que-clause stands as the subject at the start of the sentence, it takes the subjunctive even if it states a fact: Que no haya venido me parece raro. The clause in front is no longer a report but a topic on which the main clause passes judgement. The same usually goes after el hecho de que, «the fact that».
Some verbs have two meanings, and the mood shows which one is meant. decir with the indicative reports, with the subjunctive it tells someone to do something: Dice que viene against Dice que vengas — English draws the same line between «says he is coming» and «says you should come». sentir with the indicative means «to sense», with the subjunctive «to be sorry»: Siento que alguien me mira against Siento que no puedas venir. Likewise entender and comprender: with the subjunctive they mean «to sympathise with».
Negated verbs of believing and thinking usually require the subjunctive: No creo que venga. In a negative question this often turns round: ¿No crees que tiene razón? is a claim in disguise and so takes the indicative.
How well do you know this topic?
This is filled in automatically after you practise. You can change it here at any time.
Next on the path: 135 · Conditions without siBack to the learning path