Tue Mar 04 2025 • 5 min

Spanish moods: Subjunctive vs Indicative

from Steve Wheels

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Hey, language learners! Ever feel like you're walking through a maze when trying to decide whether to use the subjunctive or indicative in Spanish? These two moods can be tricky, but with a few key pointers, you'll be navigating them like a pro. Let's break it down in a way that's easy to understand.

What is the difference between Spanish subjunctive vs indicative?

So what's the primary difference between these moods? Think of it this way: the subjunctive mood expresses desires, doubts, wishes, emotions, and possibilities, while the indicative mood expresses facts and things you believe to be true and concrete. Subjunctive is all about the subjective and uncertain, while indicative is about the objective and certain.

3 moods in Spanish

Spanish actually has three moods:

Indicative: Expresses facts and certainties.
Subjunctive: Expresses doubts, wishes, and possibilities.
Imperative: Expresses commands.

In this article, we're focusing on the first two, but it's good to know the imperative is there for when you need to tell someone what to do.

When to use subjunctive vs indicative

Here's a crucial point: the speaker's viewpoint is super important. Why? Because whether you use the subjunctive or indicative often depends on how certain you are about a statement. Even if something isn't objectively true, if you believe it is, you'd use the indicative. It's all about your perception!

Spanish verbs that trigger the subjunctive mood. Includes essential verbs like 'Querer que' (To want that), 'Esperar que' (To hope that), 'Pedir que' (To ask that), and 'Dudar que' (To doubt that). Created by Espanido to enhance Spanish language learning through practical grammar exercises.

Subjunctive triggers

Most subjunctive sentences share some common signals:

Two different subjects: One in the main clause, one in the subordinate clause.
Two verbs: One in the indicative (main clause), one in the subjunctive (subordinate clause).
A relative pronoun: Words like "que" or "quien" connecting the clauses.

The more you use the subjunctive, the more it sticks. Espanido helps you practice in context, so words and phrases feel familiar instead of confusing. Whether it's wishes, doubts, or recommendations, you'll get comfortable using the subjunctive in real-life situations.

Spanish subjunctive triggers featuring impersonal expressions. Highlights phrases like 'Es importante que' (It’s important that), 'Es necesario que' (It’s necessary that), and 'Es una lástima que' (It’s a shame that). A resource from Espanido for Spanish learners to improve fluency and grammar understanding.

When to use the Subjunctive

To help you remember when to use the subjunctive, think WEIRDO:

Wishes
Emotions
Impersonal expressions
Recommendations
Doubt/Denial
Ojalá (I hope that)

Words or phrases from the WEIRDO acronym that trigger the subjunctive mood: desear (to wish), alegrarse (to be happy), and es importante que (it is important that). When you see these triggers, get ready to conjugate in the subjunctive!

Knowing when to use the subjunctive is one thing. Using it correctly is another. That's why practice is key! Practice subjunctive on Espanido with interactive exercises, and apply the subjunctive in real-life contexts instead of just just memorizing rules.

Spanish subjunctive triggers focusing on conjunctions and adverbs. Includes key expressions such as 'Ojalá que' (Hopefully), 'A no ser que' (Unless), 'Hasta que' (Until), and 'Para que' (So that). Designed by Espanido to help learners master Spanish grammar with interactive exercises.

WEIRDO examples (Subjunctive)

Wishes: Yo deseo que tengas un buen día. (I wish you have a good day.)

Emotions: Me alegro de que estés aquí. (I am happy that you are here.)

Impersonal expressions: Es importante que estudies para el examen. (It is important that you study for the exam.)

Recommendations: Te recomiendo que vayas al médico. (I recommend that you go to the doctor.)

Doubt/Denial: No creo que sea verdad. (I don't believe it is true.)

Ojalá: Ojalá que llueva mañana. (I hope it rains tomorrow.)

When to use the Indicative

On the flip side, we have SPOCK to help you with the indicative:

Speech: decir (to say)
Perceptions: ver (to see)
Occurrences
Certainty: es claro que (it is clear that)
Knowledge

SPOCK is your go-to for expressing facts, beliefs, and observations.

Words or phrases from the SPOCK acronym that trigger the indicative mood: decir (to say), ver (to see), and es claro que (it is clear that).

SPOCK examples (Indicative)

Speech: Él dice que va a llegar tarde. (He says that he is going to be late.

Perceptions: Yo veo que estás cansado. (I see that you are tired.)

Occurrences: Ocurre que siempre llega a tiempo. (It happens that he always arrives on time.)

Certainty: Es claro que vamos a ganar. (It is clear that we are going to win.)

Knowledge: Yo sé que ella es inteligente. (I know that she is intelligent.)

Spanish tenses and moods: Not the same thing!

Don't mix up Spanish mood and tense! Mood reflects your attitude toward a statement (certainty, doubt), while tense indicates when an action takes place (past, present, future). They're distinct grammatical categories.

👉 Having a hard time with the Spanish moods? Espanido makes it easy—give it a try! Download the app.

Common mistakes to avoid

Confusing similar verbs: Be careful with verbs that can trigger either the subjunctive or indicative depending on the context. For example, creer (to believe) triggers the indicative in affirmative sentences (Creo que es verdad – I believe it is true) but the subjunctive in negative sentences (No creo que sea verdad – I don't believe it is true).

Misinterpreting sentence structure: Pay close attention to the structure of complex sentences. Subjunctive clauses often follow specific conjunctions or relative pronouns like que or quien.

Final Thoughts

So, there you have it! The subjunctive and indicative moods don't have to be scary. Remember WEIRDO and SPOCK, consider the speaker's viewpoint, and you'll nail these essential aspects of Spanish grammar. Understanding the subjunctive and indicative moods in Spanish takes time and practice. Stay curious, and don't be afraid to make mistakes. ¡Buena suerte!

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