Unlocking the Secrets of the Subjunctive - A Beginners Guide (Part 1)

Introduction

In this lesson, Paul from Spanishwithpole.com explains how to use the subjunctive in Spanish. He emphasizes that even beginners can start using it and provides examples of how to do so.

Using the Subjunctive

• The subjunctive is not just for advanced learners.

• You should start using it as early as possible.

• To express "I have," use "tengo."

• When entering into the subjunctive, change "tengo" to "tenga."

• Use triggers like "espero que" to enter into the subjunctive.

Expressing Hope

• To express hope, use "espero que."

• Saying something that triggers the subjunctive means changing "tengo" to "tenga."

Expressing Enough

• The word for enough is "suficiente."

• To say you hope you have enough, say "Tenga suficiente."

Expressing Everything and Money

• The word for everything is "todo," and the word for money is "dinero."

• To say you hope you have enough money, say "Tenga suficiente dinero."

Expressing For Everyone

• To express for everyone, use "para todos."

• To say you hope you have enough for everyone, say "Espero tener suficiente para todos."

Building Longer Phrases

In this section, Paul shows how to build longer phrases by adding blocks together.

Using Para

• The sound of para is used when expressing a goal or purpose.

Building Blocks

• Build longer phrases by adding blocks together step-by-step.

Expressing the Chance to See You

• The verb "to see" is "ver."

• To say you hope you have the chance to see someone, say "Espero tener la oportunidad de verte."

Conclusion

In this section, Paul provides a few final tips and words.

Expressing Later

• The word for later is "después."

Spanish Language Lesson

In this section, the speaker teaches basic Spanish vocabulary and grammar.

Vocabulary

• The verb "to buy" is "comprar". To say "to buy it", add the pronoun "lo" to get "comprarlo".

• The word for money is "dinero".

Grammar

• To express hope or belief, use the phrase "I think that" or "I believe that", which in Spanish is simply "creo que".

• When expressing doubt or disbelief, use the subjunctive form of verbs. For example, instead of saying "tengo suficiente tiempo" (I have enough time), say "tenga suficiente tiempo".

• Other phrases that trigger the subjunctive include "I don't think that" and "I doubt that".

Triggers for Subjunctive in Spanish

This section covers different phrases that trigger the subjunctive form of verbs in Spanish.

Triggers for Subjunctive

• Phrases like "I hope" and "I hope that" trigger the normal indicative form of verbs.

• Phrases like "I don't think" and "I don't believe that" trigger the subjunctive form of verbs.

• The phrase "I doubt that" also triggers the subjunctive form of verbs.

Using Subjunctive with Doubt

This section provides examples of using the subjunctive with phrases expressing doubt.

Examples

• To say, “I doubt I’ll have enough time to do it today”, use “dudo que tenga suficiente tiempo para hacerlo hoy”.

• To say, “I doubt I’ll have the chance to visit you later”, use “dudo que tenga la oportunidad de visitarte más tarde”.

• To say, “I doubt I’ll have enough for everyone”, use “dudo que tenga suficiente para todos”.

Introduction to Using the Subjunctive in Spanish

In this section, the speaker introduces the concept of using the subjunctive in Spanish and explains how it is triggered by certain phrases. The speaker then provides examples of how to use the subjunctive in different contexts.

Triggers for Using the Subjunctive

• Certain phrases trigger the use of subjunctive in Spanish. Examples include "dudo que" (I doubt that), "espero que" (I hope that), and "no creo que" (I don't think that).

• When one of these phrases is used, it triggers the use of subjunctive. For example, instead of saying "Tengo tiempo" (I have time), you would say "Tenga tiempo" when using a trigger phrase.

Examples of Using Subjunctive

• To say "I doubt I'll have time to do it today," you would say "Dudo que tenga tiempo para hacerlo hoy."

• To say "I hope I have enough for everyone," you would say "Espero tener suficiente para todos."

• To say "I don't think I'll have an answer by tomorrow," you would say "No creo que tenga una respuesta para mañana."

• To express lessons in Spanish, you would use the word "lecciones." For example, to say "more Spanish lessons," you would say "más lecciones de español."

• To express hoping for more Spanish lessons with Paul, you would say "espero tener más lecciones de español con Paul."

Conclusion

The speaker emphasizes the importance of practicing using the subjunctive in Spanish, as it occurs even in simple phrases. It is recommended to start practicing early on and not leave it for later.