Kilo Lingo

Ch 20 · Lesson 15

The subjunctive after impersonal expressions

, : openers that judge take the subjunctive. : openers that state a fact keep the indicative.

The short version

Certainty keeps the indicative

.

It's true that he works a lot.
Why?

Not every plus adjective plus frame takes the subjunctive. Sort each one first: value, necessity and doubt trigger it, as in and . Assertions of certainty do not, so keeps the indicative. Negate the certainty and it flips: .

An impersonal expression that judges, requires or doubts the next clause takes the subjunctive. One that states a fact takes the indicative:

subjunctive, not stated as factinfinitive, nobody in particularindicative, stated as factWhat do the colours mean?
  • . - He/she may come.
  • . - It's true that he/she is coming.

Impersonal expressions at a glance

The openers that take the subjunctive judge, require or weigh up what follows:

OpenerSpanishEnglish
.It's important that you study.
.We need to be on time.
.Someone needs to help me.
.It's better if you do it now.
.It's good that you talk to her.
.It's a shame you can't come.
.It may rain.
.They'll probably be late.

The openers that take the indicative state that something is true:

OpenerSpanishEnglish
.It's true he/she works a lot.
.It's true that it's expensive.
.Clearly you' right.
.He's obviously tired.
.He/she obviously knows.

Judgement or fact?

Ask one question: does the opener say the clause is true? If it does, the clause is a fact, and facts take the indicative. If it judges the clause, needs it, or wonders whether it will happen, the clause is not being stated, so it takes the subjunctive.

Same eventSpanishEnglish
stated .It's true he/she is coming today.
weighed up .He/she may come today.
stated .Clearly you study a lot.
judged .It's good that you study a lot.

From certain to impossible, the mood changes where the certainty stops:

Where the mood changes
A factNot happening
  1. es evidente queindicative
  2. es verdad queindicative
  3. es probable quesubjunctive
  4. es posible quesubjunctive
  5. es imposible quesubjunctive

A judgement can be about something true. . assumes you do study a lot, and still takes the subjunctive, because the opener judges it rather than reporting it.

No es verdad que: the negation flip

Put no in front of a fact opener and it stops stating the fact. Denying something is not vouching for it, so the clause flips to the subjunctive:

subjunctive, not stated as factindicative, stated as factWhat do the colours mean?
Fact or denialSpanishEnglish
fact .It's true he/she is coming.
denied .It isn't true he/she is coming.
fact .Clearly he/she knows.
denied .It isn't clear he/she knows.
fact .It's true that he/she is right.
denied .It isn't true that he/she is right.

The flip only runs one way. A judgement opener stays subjunctive when you negate it, because it still judges:

  • . - It isn't important for you to come.
  • . - You don't need to help me.

Going further: Es importante descansar: the infinitive and the rest of the guide, when you want them. This lesson does not need them.

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Lesson 15 of 25 in this chapter

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