Kilo Lingo
Spanish grammar Part of Chapter 20

CEFR B1-B2

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Test yourself (23 questions)

Spanish Subjunctive After Impersonal Expressions

By Michael McGettrick and Sergio Linares-HernandesUpdated 12 October 2026

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

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, 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.

Es importante descansar: the infinitive

subjunctive, not stated as factinfinitive, nobody in particularindicative, stated as factWhat do the colours mean?

When the advice is for nobody in particular, drop the and use the infinitive. Aim it at someone and you need + subjunctive:

Who it is forSpanishEnglish
anyone .It's important to rest.
you .It's important that you rest.
anyone .It's better to say nothing.
you .It's better if you say nothing.
anyone .You have to be careful.
us .We need to be careful.

The infinitive states a rule; + subjunctive pins it on a person. It works with the judgement openers, never with the fact openers: there is no " + infinitive".

Mistakes English speakers make

WrongRightWhy
a fact takes the indicative
no a fact denied: subjunctive
a possibility: subjunctive
no before an infinitive
a judgement: subjunctive

What to do next

  1. Sort ten openers you know into "states a fact" and "judges it".
  2. Do the story and sort drills below.
  3. Then doubt and denial, where and no split the same way.

Practise: test yourself

Complete the story

0/6

Choose the verb form for each gap.

Advice from the doctor

Es importante que mucho. Es verdad que mucho, pero es necesario que ocho horas. Es posible que unos días en casa. Está claro que cansado. Y es mejor no café por la noche.

Gap 1 of 6

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. Es importante bien. (general advice, for anyone)

  2. Es mejor que ahora. (you)

  3. Es necesario pronto. (for everyone)

  4. Está claro que razón.

  5. No es verdad que lo .

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Frequently asked questions

Which impersonal expressions take the subjunctive?
The ones that judge, require or weigh up the clause: , , , , , , , . (it's important that you study); (it may rain).
Does take the subjunctive?
No. states a fact, so the clause stays in the indicative: (it's true that he/she works a lot). The same goes for , , and .
Why is it ?
Because denying a fact is no longer stating it. (it's true he/she is coming) takes the indicative; (it isn't true he/she is coming) takes the subjunctive. The no turns a statement of fact into a rejection of it.
When do you use the infinitive after ?
When the advice is for nobody in particular: (it's important to rest). Aim it at someone and you need + subjunctive: (it's important that you rest). Never mix the two: does not exist.
Is always followed by the subjunctive?
Yes. , and weigh up whether something will happen, so they take the subjunctive every time: (they'll probably be late). Only the openers that state a fact keep the indicative.