The subjunctive is also used to talk about things and situations that are unknown or nonexistant. There are a few expressions that always take the subjunctive in this context:
There are also many verbs and expressions that are only used with the subjunctive when they indicate something unknown or nonexistant, and are otherwise used with the indicative. One of the clearest examples is the verb buscar: 1. Busco una casa que tenga cuatro habitaciones y que esté cerca de la universidad = 2. Busco una casa que tiene cuatro habitaciones y que está cerca de la universidad = |
The subjunctive is also used to talk about future things and situations that are taken to be unknown. The subjunctive is used after various words and phrases in this context:
In these cases, it's important to distinguish between using the subjunctive to indicate an unknown future and using the indicative to indicate a known present. The following examples should help you to understand this difference: 1. Cuando vamos al cine, siempre comemos palomitas de maíz. 2. Cuando vayamos al cine este fin de semana, quiero comer palomitas de maíz. * The subjunctive is always used after antes de que, because this phrase always implies an unknown future. Finally, the subjuntive can be used with "que", "lo que", "donde", "como" and "quien" to express English "whatever", "whenever", "however" and "whoever"; note that all of these expressions refer to things, people, or places that are unknown: El metro de Madrid te llevará a donde quieras ir = The Madrid metro will take you wherever you want to go. Quien esté libre de pecado, que tire la primera piedra = Whoever is without sin, let him throw the first stone. Tenemos que arreglar el coche como podamos = We have to fix the car however we can. Hacíamos lo que Julieta dijera = We used to do whatever Julieta said. |