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The Subjunctive-Indicative Distinction (S/I)

  
 
  INTRODUCTION: WHAT ARE THE "SUBJUNCTIVE" AND THE INDICATIVE"?  
 
  • "Subjunctive" and "indicative" are two of the three "moods" (modes) that Spanish verbs appear in. (Imperatives--commands--are the third.)
  • Unlike imperatives, both the indicative and subjunctive appear in full conjugations (all persons, singular and plural), and show tense distinctions.
  • The indicative is the "default" mood for a conjugated verb. The present indicative is the first conjugation encountered when studying Spanish.
  • The subjunctive is used under certain circumstances, outlined below.
  • There are four subjunctive conjugations in modern Spanish--present, present perfect, imperfect and pluperfect, compared with nine non-subjunctive ones. Study of the subjunctive begins with present tense applications; rules for subjunctive use in other tenses are essentially the same.
 
  Structural (Grammatical) Context for Subjunctive / Indicative Choice  
 
  • The most common place where an S/I choice is made is in a two-clause sentence1 that consists of a main clause and a subordinate clause.
  • The main verb of such a sentence will never be conjugated in subjunctive, but rather in indicative or the imperative.2
  • A subordinate clause is most commonly headed by the subordinator que, but also sometimes by cuando, mientras, si, donde or another word.3
  • The subordinate verb will be either indicative or subjunctive depending on factors described below.
 
 
   
  1. There are, of course, sentences that consist of one or of three or more [clauses], sometimes involving S/I choices:
    • Quizás hace / haga buen tiempo mañana.
    • [Es obvio] [que todos quieren] [que tú ganes.]
  2. Most imperatives (Ud., Uds. and all negative imperatives) are subjunctive in form, but their function is that of a command:
    • Dígale a Carlos que vamos a comer a las seis.
    • No le digas que venga a las siete.
  3. Two-clause sentences whose clauses are joined by either by nothing at all or by a coordinator like y, o, pero consist of two independent clauses and do not present an S/I choice. Both verbs in such sentences will be conjugated in the indicative.
    • A Carlos le gusta nadar; yo prefiero correr y levantar pesas.
    • Todos los días levanto pesas y corro dos millas.
    • Yo no tengo dinero, pero no me importa.
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