Key Idea: This topic covers the future, what you would do, the subjunctive for wishes, feelings and doubts, and commands.
Future
- Add -é, -ás, -á, -emos, -éis, -án to the whole infinitive, for -ar, -er and -ir: {{hablaré, comeremos, vivirá|I will speak, we will eat, he/she will live}}
- For plans, predictions and probability.
- Irregular stems: tendr-, har-, dir-, podr-, saldr-, vendr-, querr-, sabr-, pondr-.
- The everyday near future: {{ir a + infinitivo|going to + verb}}
Conditional
- Endings -ía, -ías, -ía, -íamos, -íais, -ían on the full infinitive, with the future's irregular stems: {{hablaría, tendría|I would speak, I would have}}
- For «would», polite requests and the future in the past: {{me gustaría un café|I would like a coffee}}
- Don't mix it up with the imperfect: comería (would eat) vs comía (used to eat).
Present subjunctive
- Take the present yo form, drop the -o and swap the vowel: {{hablo → hable|-ar verbs take e}}, {{como → coma, vivo → viva|-er and -ir verbs take a}}
- Six irregulars: {{sea, vaya, haya, sepa, dé, esté|from ser, ir, haber, saber, dar, estar}}
Using the subjunctive
- You need a trigger + «que» + a change of subject.
- Triggers: a wish, an emotion, an impersonal opinion, doubt or denial, influence, «ojalá», and «para que».
- Examples: {{quiero que vengas, me alegro de que estés|I want you to come, I'm glad you're here}}
- Two traps: {{creo que viene|I think he's coming}} keeps the indicative. With no change of subject, use the infinitive: {{quiero ir|I want to go}}
Commands
- Positive tú = the present él form: {{habla, come, vive|speak, eat, live}}. Irregular: {{di, haz, ve, pon, sal, ten, ven, sé|say, do, go, put, leave, have, come, be}}
- Negative tú, usted and nosotros use the subjunctive: {{no hables, hable, hablemos|don't speak, speak (formal), let's speak}}
- Pronouns join the end of a positive command ({{dímelo|tell me it}}) and go before a negative one ({{no me lo digas|don't tell me it}}).
- Never use a bare infinitive as a command.
The future and the conditional both start from the whole infinitive. The subjunctive starts from the yo form of the present.
«Mañana ___ (tener) tiempo.» «Tendré»: the stem is irregular.
Which is more polite: «quiero» or «querría»? «Querría», the conditional.
«No creo que ___ (ser) fácil.» «Sea»: a negated opinion takes the subjunctive.
What is the subjunctive of «tener» (yo tengo)? «Tenga»: tengo loses its -o and takes -a.
How do you tell a friend «Do it!»? «¡Hazlo!» The pronoun joins the positive command.