(c) Subjunctive constructions
Quiero que me digas tu nombre.
I want you to tell me your name.Me gusta que tengas tantos amigos.
I like it that you have so many friends.
Especially when it comes at the beginning of a sentence as the complementizer of a
subject complement, que is sometimes strengthened to el que, which, like el hecho
de que, means ‘the fact that’:El (hecho de) que no tengan dinero no me extraña.
The fact that they have no money doesn’t surprise me. 18.1 (p. 83);^20 (p. 96);^27 (p. 141);^33 (p. 196)
Sentence object complements with nouns are introduced by the preposition de
(de is sometimes omitted in spoken Spanish, but such an omission is considered
incorrect):
la idea de que tantas personas pasan hambre
the idea that so many people feel hungry
la posibilidad de que se produzca un terremoto
the possibility that there will be an earthquakeSentence object complements with adjectives are introduced by various prepositions:
Estoy seguro de que llegará con tiempo.
I’m sure he/she will arrive in good time.
¿Estás dispuesta a ayudarme?
Are you prepared to help me?NOTE English constructions are sometimes not the same in form as their Spanish equivalents. ‘I’m
pleased that he is coming’ is in Spanish Me agrada que venga, in which English ‘be’+ adjective
corresponds to the Spanish verb agradar.26.1.2 Withsi
Si is used in indirect questions:¿Me preguntas si estoy de acuerdo?
Are you asking me if I agree?^20 (p. 96); 33.2 (p. 196)
26.2 Infinitive complementation
26.2.1 Infinitive subject
An infinitive may be the subject complement of a verb or of ser+ adjective (17.11).
It usually follows the verb or ser+ adjective in such cases. Note that English has aCOMPLEMENTATION 26.2