Subjunctive, Indicative, and Imperative moods in Spanish

Do you still get confused when talking about what happened yesterday or what might happen next week in Spanish? Knowing Spanish verb tenses and moods is your key to speaking naturally and sound like you've been knowing Spanish forever. In this guide, you’ll see conjugation charts, practical examples, and helpful tips for the indicative, subjunctive, and imperative moods.

Tenses and Moods in Spanish

A verb tense indicates when an action takes place—past, present, or future. A mood reflects your attitude or intention about that action.

Term	Explanation	Example with "hablar"
Verb tense	Shows the time of the action (past, present, future).	Present: "hablo" (I speak) Past: "hablé" (I spoke) Future: "hablaré" (I will speak)
Mood	Shows your perspective on the action (indicative, subjunctive, imperative).	Indicative: "hablo" (fact) Subjunctive: "hable" (desire) Imperative: "¡habla!" (command)

Together, tenses and moods form the backbone of Spanish verb conjugations, letting you describe when something occurs and how you feel about it.

Check out our exercises for interactive practice with Spanish verb tenses and moods.

What are the moods in Spanish?

Spanish has three main moods:

• Indicative – Expresses real, factual information.
• Subjunctive – Expresses doubt, desires, or hypothetical situations.
• Imperative – Gives commands or makes requests.

Below, you’ll find charts for each mood and examples from everyday life.

1. Indicative mood: Expressing reality and facts

The indicative mood is used for statements you believe to be true or certain.

Examples of indicative mood in Spanish

Yo hablo con mis amigos cada tarde. (I speak with my friends every afternoon.)

Tú hablas muy rápido cuando estás nervioso. (You talk very fast when you’re nervous.)

Ella habla sobre temas de arte en su blog. (She talks about art topics on her blog.)

Ellos hablan por videollamada con su familia todos los domingos. (They talk by video call with their family every Sunday.)

Practice conjugating verbs in the Indicative mood in all tenses with our exercises.

2. Subjunctive mood: Expressing doubts, desires, emotions

The subjunctive mood is often challenging because English uses it less often. It covers wishes, uncertainties, emotional reactions and hypothetical situations. The present subjunctive is the most commonly used subjunctive tense.

Other Subjunctive Tenses

Spanish features several subjunctive tenses to express different time frames:

• Present Perfect Subjunctive – for actions that may have been completed:
  Espero que hayas hablado con ella. (I hope you have spoken with her.)

• Imperfect Subjunctive – for past wishes or hypotheticals:
  Quería que hablaras más durante la presentación. (I wanted you to speak more during the presentation.)

• Past Perfect Subjunctive – for hypothetical situations in the past:
  Ojalá que hubieras hablado antes. (I wish you had spoken earlier.)

• Future Subjunctive – rarely used today, mostly seen in old documents.

Spanish subjunctive triggers

Certain words and phrases commonly trigger the subjunctive in Spanish:

• Doubt: No estoy seguro de que... (I’m not sure that…) Dudo que... (I doubt that...)
• Desire: Quiero que... (I want that…)
• Emotion: Me alegra que... (I’m happy that…)
• Impersonal phrases: Es necesario que... (It’s necessary that…), Es importante que... (It's important that...)

Subjunctive mood exercises.

Examples of subjunctive mood in Spanish

1. Ojalá que mañana haga buen tiempo. (I hope the weather is nice tomorrow.)
2. Me sorprende que viajes tan pronto a Argentina. (I’m surprised you’re traveling to Argentina so soon.)
3. Es bueno que ellos aprendan nuevas herramientas digitales. (It’s good that they learn new digital tools.)
4. Dudo que Mark viva en esa casa tan antigua. (I doubt Mark lives in that very old house.)
5. Te recomiendo que pruebes los subjunctive Spanish exercises para mejorar. (I recommend you try the subjunctive Spanish exercises to improve.)

What is the difference between Indicative and Subjunctive moods?

The key difference lies in how you view reality:

• Indicative mood presents actions as real, factual, or certain: "Yo hablo español todos los días" (I speak Spanish every day)
• Subjunctive mood presents actions as uncertain, desired, emotional, or hypothetical: "Quiero que tú hables español conmigo" (I want you to speak Spanish with me)

Think of the indicative as the “reality” approach and the subjunctive as the “possibility” approach.

When to use Subjunctive vs Indicative moods

Here's a practical guide for when to use each mood:

Examples of Indicative and Subjunctive Moods with “hablar”

• Indicative: "Sé que él habla español" (I know he speaks Spanish)
• Subjunctive: "Dudo que él hable español" (I doubt he speaks Spanish)

💡 Remember when use the subjunctive or indicative in Spanish with WEIRDO and SPOCK acronyms.

3. Imperative mood in Spanish: Giving commands and instructions

Use the imperative to give orders, requests, or advice. The forms change based on who you’re addressing (tú, usted, vosotros, etc.).

Examples of imperative mood in Spanish

1. Envía tu tarea antes de la medianoche. (Send your homework before midnight.)
2. No comas tan rápido. (Don't eat so fast.)
3. Hable con el gerente sobre el problema del pedido. (Speak with the manager about the order issue.)
4. Bebed más agua cuando estéis deshidratados. (Drink more water when you’re dehydrated.)
5. No olvides estudiar los Spanish subjunctive esta semana. (Don't forget to study the Spanish subjunctive this week.)

Spanish subjunctive conjugation exercises and more

Practice all forms of the subjunctive with our interactive exercises:

• Present subjunctive exercises
• Imperfect subjunctive conjugation exercises
• Imperfect indicative exercises
• Practice conjugation of all common verbs in Spanish

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most difficult Spanish subjunctive tense to learn?

Many learners say the imperfect subjunctive is tricky due to its two common endings (-ra and -se) and if-then uses. Regular practice helps it feel natural.

How do I know when to use the subjunctive in Spanish?

Watch for trigger phrases like es posible que, dudo que, or ojalá que. These phrases signal that the verb should appear in the subjunctive form.

Can I use the present subjunctive to talk about the future?

Yes! Spanish often uses present subjunctive to talk about something that might happen soon. For instance: Espero que vengas mañana (I hope you come tomorrow).

Are there any tips on how to learn all the Spanish subjunctive tenses?

Focus first on the present subjunctive, as it's the most commonly used. Then learn the imperfect subjunctive for past situations. The perfect forms (present perfect subjunctive and past perfect subjunctive) follow similar patterns.

Why is the future subjunctive rare now?

It appears mostly in older or formal texts. Most speakers use the present subjunctive for possible future events.

Is conditional a mood in Spanish?

No. It’s part of the indicative family. Spanish has three main moods: the indicative, the subjunctive, and the imperative. The conditional is a tense within the indicative mood, and it tells what might happen if a condition is met.

Summary

Spanish has three main moods: indicative (facts), subjunctive (wishes/doubts), and imperative (commands). Each one helps you share your thoughts in different ways. Learning subjunctive is especially important, as it appears more often in Spanish than in English. Regular practice builds your skill and lets you share ideas with ease. If you need more practice, try our Spanish subjunctive exercises. Start with the basics, keep practicing, and remember that mistakes are part of the journey. ¡Buena suerte con tu español!