In Spanish, we have a special way to talk about things that are uncertain, like wishes, feelings, or situations that aren’t real. This is called the present subjunctive mood. It's important to know how to use it. Here are the main rules to help you understand when to use the present subjunctive.

When to Use the Present Subjunctive

1. Wishing and Desiring:

   • We use the subjunctive after certain verbs like esperar que (to hope that), desear que (to wish that), and querer que (to want that).
   • Example:
     • Quiero que tú vengas a la fiesta.
     • (I want you to come to the party.)

2. Emotions:

   • We use the subjunctive after verbs that show feelings, like alegrarse de que (to be happy that), temer que (to fear that), and sentir que (to feel that).
   • Example:
     • Me alegra que estés bien.
     • (I’m happy that you’re okay.)

3. Impersonal Expressions:

   • We use phrases like es necesario que (it is necessary that), es importante que (it is important that), and es probable que (it is likely that).
   • Example:
     • Es importante que estudies para el examen.
     • (It’s important that you study for the exam.)

4. Doubt and Uncertainty:

   • We use the subjunctive when we are not sure about something, like with dudar que (to doubt that) and no creer que (not to believe that).
   • Example:
     • Dudo que él venga.
     • (I doubt that he will come.)

How to Change the Verbs

If you want to change regular verbs into the present subjunctive, here’s how to do it:

• For -ar verbs: Start with the root and add these endings: -e, -es, -e, -emos, -éis, -en.

  • Example: hablar (to speak)
    • hable, hables, hable, hablemos, habléis, hablen.

• For -er and -ir verbs: Start with the root and add these endings: -a, -as, -a, -amos, -áis, -an.

  • Example: comer (to eat)
    • coma, comas, coma, comamos, comáis, coman.
  • Example: vivir (to live)
    • viva, vivas, viva, vivamos, viváis, vivan.

Special Irregular Verbs

Some verbs change a bit differently in the present subjunctive. Here are some important ones:

• Ser: sea, seas, sea, seamos, seáis, sean
• Ir: vaya, vayas, vaya, vayamos, vayáis, vayan
• Saber: sepa, sepas, sepa, sepamos, sepáis, sepan
• Estar: esté, estés, esté, estemos, estéis, estén

Using in More Complex Sentences

When you want to make longer sentences, you can use words like:

• Aunque (although): Aunque esté lloviendo, vamos a salir.

  • (Even though it is raining, we will go out.)

• Porque (because): No salimos porque hace frío.

  • (We are not going out because it is cold.)

• Si (if): Si tuviera tiempo, iría contigo.

  • (If I had time, I would go with you.)

Conclusion

Getting good at the present subjunctive is very important for clearly sharing your thoughts in Spanish. Make sure to pay attention to when you use it and practice with both regular and irregular verbs. By following these rules and using different verb forms, you’ll improve your Spanish speaking and understanding in conversations.