What the subjunctive communicates
The subjunctive is a mood, not a time. It frequently appears when one clause frames another action as wanted, doubted, evaluated, denied, or not yet identified.
- Quiero que vengas.I want you to come.
- No creo que sea fácil.I do not think it is easy.
How to form the present subjunctive
Start with the present-tense yo form, remove its -o, and add the opposite vowel endings: -ar verbs take e endings, while -er and -ir verbs take a endings.
Avoid trigger-word memorization
Expressions can invite the subjunctive, but meaning controls the choice. Creo que viene states a belief and uses the indicative; No creo que venga withholds that assertion and uses the subjunctive.
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