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Spanish grammar Part of Chapter 21

CEFR B1-B2

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Test yourself (22 questions)

Spanish Subjunctive vs Indicative: Doubt and Denial

By Michael McGettrick and Sergio Linares-HernandesUpdated 12 October 2026

When you vouch for what you say, the next verb stays in the indicative. When you doubt or deny it, it goes into the subjunctive. One no is enough to flip it:

Quick check

Three quick questions on what you have just read. The full practice is further down.

Spot the mistake

0/3

Each sentence has one wrong verb. Tap it.

subjunctive, doubtedindicative, vouched forWhat do the colours mean?
  • . - I think he/she is coming.
  • . - I don't think he/she is coming.

Doubt and denial at a glance

OpenerSpanishEnglish
.I think he/she is right.
.I don't think he/she is right.
.I'm sure he/she knows.
.I'm not sure he/she knows.
.I doubt it's true.
.He/she denies knowing her.
.He/she can't finish it today.

The first four rows are pairs: the same sentence with and without no. What decides the mood is whether the speaker stands behind the clause.

Creo que, no creo que: the flip

, and assert what follows, so they take the indicative. Add no and you have withdrawn your weight from the clause, so it flips to the subjunctive:

Opener
que
Verb
  • . - I think it's a good idea.
  • . - I don't think it's a good idea.

How sure the speaker is decides it, from sure to doubtful:

Vouching for it, or not
SureDoubtful
  1. estoy seguro de queindicative
  2. creo queindicative
  3. quizáseither
  4. no creo quesubjunctive
  5. dudo quesubjunctive

In a plain statement, takes the indicative: . (I think it's true), not " ". Thinking something is a mild way of asserting it.

Dudo que and niega que

subjunctive, doubtedindicative, vouched forWhat do the colours mean?

(to doubt) and (to deny) reject the clause outright, so they take the subjunctive with no no needed:

OpenerSpanishEnglish
.I doubt they'll be on time.
.He/she denies it's his/hers.
.He/she can't possibly know.
.We' unlikely to win.

Negate and you are accepting the fact, so the indicative often comes back (the subjunctive is heard too):

  • . - I don't doubt you' right.

Quizás, tal vez and a lo mejor

subjunctive, doubtedindicative, vouched forWhat do the colours mean?

Spanish has four everyday ways to say maybe, and they treat the mood differently:

MaybeMoodExample
either .
either .
indicative .
subjunctive .

With (also written ) and , the subjunctive keeps the question open and the indicative leans towards yes:

  • . - Maybe he/she will come. (no idea)
  • . - Maybe he/she's coming. (probably)

Put after the verb and it takes the indicative: , . - He/she's coming, maybe.

Mistakes English speakers make

WrongRightWhy
no the no withdraws it: subjunctive
vouches for it
doubt takes the subjunctive
takes the indicative
takes the subjunctive

What to do next

  1. Say three things you believe with , then deny each with no .
  2. Do the story and sort drills below.
  3. Then negative commands, the next use of the same subjunctive forms.

Practise: test yourself

Complete the story

0/5

Choose the verb form for each gap.

Is Ana coming?

Creo que Ana a la cena, pero no estoy seguro de que a tiempo. Dudo que pronto del trabajo. A lo mejor a su hermano. No creo que un problema.

Gap 1 of 5

Sort into groups

0/8

Does the verb after each opening go in the subjunctive or the indicative?

Tap a word, then the group it belongs in.

Spot the mistake

0/4

Each sentence has one wrong verb. Tap it.

Pick the right one

0/5

Choose the form that completes the sentence.

  1. tienes razón. (maybe)

  2. tengas razón. (maybe)

  3. Estoy seguro de que lo .

  4. No estoy seguro de que lo .

  5. Es imposible que lo hoy.

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Frequently asked questions

Why does take the subjunctive?
Because you are no longer vouching for the clause. (I think he/she is coming) asserts it, so the indicative stays. (I don't think he/she is coming) withdraws that, and the clause flips to the subjunctive. and work the same way.
Does ever take the subjunctive?
Not in a plain statement: (I think it's true), not . Thinking something is a mild way of asserting it. The negative, , takes the subjunctive, and in a question (¿ ...?) both moods are heard.
Does always take the subjunctive?
Yes: (I doubt it's true), a (I doubt they'll be on time). Negate it and the doubt goes: (I don't doubt you' right) often takes the indicative, because you are accepting the fact, though is heard too.
Do and take the subjunctive?
Either mood. (maybe he/she'll come) keeps it open; leans towards yes. After the verb, the indicative: , . Two other ways to say maybe are fixed: takes the indicative ( ) and the subjunctive ( ).
What is the difference between and ?
Mood as well as meaning. states what you believe, so the indicative. doubts it, so the subjunctive. The no is the switch: learn the two as a pair, side by side.