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when to use the subjunctive?

so im currently doing AS spanish, and practising tenses

so i know the 'WERIDO' bit of subjunctive,
but when would you use 'yo coma', for example?
thank you!

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Original post by Rainbowcorn
so im currently doing AS spanish, and practising tensesso i know the 'WERIDO' bit of subjunctive,but when would you use 'yo coma', for example?thank you!


The example you give is very weird in Spanish- you will never see "yo coma" (Spanish person here, never seen it written in my life!). You can say "Espero que coma pronto" (I hope (that) I eat soon) though "espero que pueda comer pronto" is more common.
(edited 8 years ago)
Original post by Rainbowcorn
so im currently doing AS spanish, and practising tenses

so i know the 'WERIDO' bit of subjunctive,
but when would you use 'yo coma', for example?
thank you!


The subjunctive can be tough at first. My advice would be that for now you only use the subjunctive after subjunctive triggers. These triggers are forms of doubt or uncertainty etc. For example, dudo que or no pienso que etc. There are times when you don't need triggers but these can be tough to understand so what I would say for now, is that when you speak or write essays, use these triggers for the subjunctive. Subjunctive = more marks as well! :smile:

http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=2320896

I've written a thread towards the Scottish language exams with a document for Spanish essay vocabulary and Spanish subjunctive triggers. Just scroll to the end of the first post and download the Spanish essay document I created. Or, you can read the whole thread even though it's directed towards Scottish language exams.

Try and use some of my essay/oral phrases. Try to use the same ones regularly so you can memorise them easily. More sophisticated language gets you better marks and without realising it, you'll improve quite a lot.
(edited 8 years ago)
Reply 3
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Maddie088
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Original post by Omni Vanitas
The example you give is very weird in Spanish- you will never see "yo coma" (Spanish person here, never seen it written in my life!). You can say "Espero que coma pronto" (I hope (that) I eat soon) though "espero que pueda comer pronto" is more common.


ah i see, yeah it was just an example. does that mean that ''espero que como pronto'' doesn't make sense? thanks!
Original post by Rainbowcorn
ah i see, yeah it was just an example. does that mean that ''espero que como pronto'' doesn't make sense? thanks!


Yes, it doesn't make sense- Espero que always takes the subjunctive afaik.
Reply 5
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Maddie088
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Original post by Quick-use
The subjunctive can be tough at first. My advice would be that for now you only use the subjunctive after subjunctive triggers. These triggers are forms of doubt or uncertainty etc. For example, dudo que or no pienso que etc. There are times when you don't need triggers but these can be tough to understand so what I would say for now, is that when you speak or write essays, use these triggers for the subjunctive. Subjunctive = more marks as well! :smile:

http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=2320896

I've written a thread towards the Scottish language exams with a document for Spanish essay vocabulary and Spanish subjunctive triggers. Just scroll to the end of the first post and download the Spanish essay document I created. Or, you can read the whole thread even though it's directed towards Scottish language exams.


thank you! i will check it out! and yeah its more marks, hence why im trying to include more subjunctive, and i include some things like 'no creo que' and 'es possible que' but unsure as to when to use 'coma' or 'tenga' :smile:
Reply 6
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Maddie088
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Original post by Omni Vanitas
Yes, it doesn't make sense- Espero que always takes the subjunctive afaik.


ah thank you! i understand that now :smile:
Original post by Rainbowcorn
thank you! i will check it out! and yeah its more marks, hence why im trying to include more subjunctive, and i include some things like 'no creo que' and 'es possible que' but unsure as to when to use 'coma' or 'tenga' :smile:


Do you mean like this: Es posible que no tenga bastante dinero
Original post by Omni Vanitas
The example you give is very weird in Spanish- you will never see "yo coma" (Spanish person here, never seen it written in my life!). You can say "Espero que coma pronto" (I hope (that) I eat soon) though "espero que pueda comer pronto" is more common.


Estoy de acuerdo, el ejemplo de "yo coma" es bastante raro pero debemos recordar que en los colegios suelen enseñar una versión de español que no se escucha mucho en España. Por ejemplo, muchos estudiantes usan pronombres personales excesivamente (como en la lengua inglesa) sin saber que apenas se emplean en castellano.
(edited 8 years ago)
Reply 9
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Maddie088
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Original post by Quick-use
Do you mean like this: Es posible que no tenga bastante dinero


no, i just used es posible by itself, for example; es posible que las ventajes superan a las desventajas
if that makes sense, im just confusing myself right now
Original post by Plantagenet Crown
Estoy de acuerdo, el ejemplo de "yo coma" es bastante raro pero debemos recordar que en los colegios suelen enseñar una versión de español que no se escucha mucho en España. Por ejemplo, muchos estudiantes usan pronombres personales excesivamente (como en la lengua inglesa) sin saber que apenas se emplean en castellano.


Por ejemplo, según muchos colegios dinero del bolsillo = pocket money pero, en realidad no es así.
Original post by Rainbowcorn
no, i just used es posible by itself, for example; es posible que las ventajes superan a las desventajas
if that makes sense, im just confusing myself right now


It would be superen I believe since 'es posible que' is a subjunctive trigger.
Reply 12
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Maddie088
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Original post by Omni Vanitas
Yes, it doesn't make sense- Espero que always takes the subjunctive afaik.


could you say 'espero que puedO comer pronto?' does that make sense? just asking as you wrote 'puedA'
Reply 13
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Original post by Quick-use
Por ejemplo, según muchos colegios dinero del bolsillo = pocket money pero, en realidad no es así.


can i ask what the common word/phrase for pocket money is? just want to make my spanish sound more 'spanish' if that makes sense! thanks!
Original post by Rainbowcorn
no, i just used es posible by itself, for example; es posible que las ventajes superan a las desventajas
if that makes sense, im just confusing myself right now


It's "superen", you've spelt "ventajas" wrong and there should be no "a" before the "las".
Reply 15
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Maddie088
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Original post by Quick-use
It would be superen I believe since 'es posible que' is a subjunctive trigger.


ah i see, so what i wrote would be like using 2 subjunctives. thanks! this is getting confusing haha! thank you though :smile:
Original post by Rainbowcorn
could you say 'espero que puedO comer pronto?' does that make sense? just asking as you wrote 'puedA'


No, because that is present tense. Espero que--->Subjunctive trigger
Original post by Rainbowcorn
could you say 'espero que puedO comer pronto?' does that make sense? just asking as you wrote 'puedA'


No, it has to be pueda as that is the subjunctive form, puedo is not.
Reply 18
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Original post by Plantagenet Crown
It's "superen", you've spelt "ventajas" wrong and there should be no "a" before the "las".


thank you! 'superen' is in the subjunctive form isnt it? thank you again
Reply 19
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Maddie088
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Original post by Omni Vanitas
No, because that is present tense. Espero que--->Subjunctive trigger


i thought 'pueda' was present just in 3rd person? sorry for all these questions!
EDIT
i understand now, thank you!
(edited 8 years ago)

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