Languages › Spanish How Well Do You Know the Subjunctive Mood in Spanish? Test Your Knowledge With This Quiz Queremos que vayas a Medellín, Colombia. (We want you to go to Medellín, Colombia.). Pedro Szekely/Creative Commons. Spanish Grammar History & Culture Pronunciation Vocabulary Writing Skills By Gerald Erichsen Gerald Erichsen Spanish Language Expert B.A., Seattle Pacific University Gerald Erichsen is a Spanish language expert who has created Spanish lessons for ThoughtCo since 1998. Learn about our Editorial Process Updated on March 06, 2017 1. I want you to eat with me. Quiero que comes conmigo. Quiero que comas conmigo. Quiero que comieras conmigo. Quiero que comís conmigo. Correct Wrong Querer, like other verbs used to express what someone wants, is followed by a verb in the subjunctive mood. The verb here is comer, meaning to eat. 2. What's that? I don't know. ¿Qué es eso? No saba. ¿Qué es eso? No sé. ¿Qué es eso? No sepa. ¿Qué es eso? No supiera. Correct Wrong There is no reason to use the subjunctive of saber here. However, if you were following no sé with que and a verb, you may need to use the subjunctive. 3. I certainly believe he is happy. Creo sin duda que está feliz. Creo sin duda que estuvo feliz. Creo sin duda que esté feliz. Creo sin duda que estuviera feliz. Correct Wrong Although the subjunctive can be used after creer, such use indicates hesitancy in the belief. 4. I doubt she is happy. Dudo que está feliz. Dudo que estuvo feliz. Dudo que esté feliz. Dudo que estuviera feliz. Correct Wrong The subjunctive is used after dudar and other expressions of doubt. 5. It is obvious he loves her. Es obvio que la ama. Es obvio que la ame. Es obvio la ama. Es obvio la ame. Correct Wrong The indicative mood is used after que when the sentence's independent clause indicates that something is true. Although the "that" in a sentence such as "It is obvious that he loves her" can be omitted in English, in Spanish the que is mandatory. 6. It's not obvious he loves her. No es obvio que la ama. No es obvio que la amaría. No es obvio amarla. No es obvio que la ame. Correct Wrong The subjunctive is used in expressions such as this that suggest something is untrue or unlikely. 7. I want to drink. Quiero que bebe. Quiero beba. Quiero que beba. Quiero que beberí. Quiero beber. Correct Wrong The infinitive is used after many verbs, including querer, when the subject of main verb is the same as subject of the dependent clause. 8. I'm looking for the student who speaks Spanish. I saw him yesterday. Busco al estudiante que habla español. Lo vi ayer. Busque al estudiante que habla español. Lo vi ayer. Busco al estudiante que hable español. Lo vi ayer. Busque al estudiante que hable español. Lo vi ayer. Correct Wrong Hablar here is in the indicative because it is clear that the student who speaks Spanish is an actual person rather than a hypothetical one. 9. I'm looking for a student who speaks Spanish. Busco un estudiante que habla español. Busque un estudiante que habla español. Busco un estudiante que hable español. Busque un estudiante que hable español. Correct Wrong The subjunctive form of hablar is used because the existence of a student who speaks Spanish is hypothetical or speculative. 10. I expected her to come. Esperé viniera. Esperé la venir. Esperé que venir. Esperé que viniera. Esperé que vino. Esperé vino. Esperé que venga. Correct Wrong Although the English uses the infinitive, Spanish usually does not in a sentence of this type when the main clause (esperé) and the dependent clause (viniera) refer to different people. A past tense of venir is used here because the sentence refers to something that occurred (or didn't) in the past. 11. She talks as if she were intelligent. Hable como si fuera inteligente. Hable como si fue inteligente. Habla como si fuera inteligente. Habla como si fue inteligente. Correct Wrong A subjunctive form of the highly irregular ser is used because her being intelligent is contrary to fact. Note that the English sentence also uses a distinct subjunctive form. 12. I called you when you were at home. Te llamé cuando estabas en casa. Te llamé cuando estuvieras en casa. Te llamara cuando estabas en casa. Te llamara cuando estuvieras en casa. Correct Wrong There is no need to use a subjunctive form of estar here because it's clear that the second person was at home. 13. I will call you in case you are at home. Te llamaré en caso de que estás en casa. Te llamaré en caso de que estés en casa. Te llamaré en caso de que estuvieras en casa. Te llamaré en caso de que estará en casa. Correct Wrong A subjunctive form of estar is used because the person's location will be unknown or is hypothetical. Also, en caso de que is always followed by the subjunctive. 14. If I had time, I would travel. Si yo tengo tiempo, viajaría. Si yo tendría tiempo, viajaría. Si yo tenga tiempo, viajaría. Si yo tuviera tiempo, viajaría. The sentence makes no sense in Spanish. Correct Wrong This is much like Question 11 in which the subjunctive is used because the phrase that includes si (if) expresses a situation that is contrary to fact. The "had" in the English sentence is a subjunctive form, not a past tense. 15. I went home before I saw her. Me fui a casa antes de que la vi. Me fui a casa antes de que la viera. Me fuera a casa antes de que la vi. Me fuera a casa antes de que la viera. Correct Wrong he correct answer may not seem logical because the act of seeing her is a factual condition. However, the subjunctive form is always used after antes de que or antes que, which typically means "before." How Well Do You Know the Subjunctive Mood in Spanish? You got: % Correct. Perfect! Espero que viajemos juntos a Argentina. (I hope we can travel together to Argentina.). MIke/Creative Commons. You couldn't do better than that! You've obviously been doing your homework, and now it's paying off. A short quiz such as this can't get into all the complexities of the subjunctive mood, but obviously you're doing quite well in mastering it. Share Your Results How Well Do You Know the Subjunctive Mood in Spanish? You got: % Correct. Excellent! Necesitamos salir antes de que sepamos más. (We need to leave before we know more.). El Coleccionista de Instantes/Creative Commons. You still have studying to do, but you're well on your way to mastering a particularly challenging verb form. Share Your Results How Well Do You Know the Subjunctive Mood in Spanish? You got: % Correct. Keep on Studying! Es importante que estudie. (It is important that she study.). Universidad de Montevideo/Creative Commons. No doubt about it, learning when to use the subjunctive can be a challenge. Come back after studying more and see how much more you know! Share Your Results