Spanish: An Essential Grammar

Subjunctive after verbs which exert influence upon other

persons or things

This widespread use includes verbs which request, commandor order, want

or desire, proposeor suggest, permit, allowor approve, encourage, and

cause.

The influence may also be a negative one through verbs which avoid,

prohibit, preventor forbid:

Ordenó que la flota zarpara. He ordered the fleet to set sail.

Quería que lloviera. I wanted it to rain.

Propongo que se anule el I propose that the contract be

contrato. annulled.

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Subjunctive
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The subjunctive – key characteristics

1 When the verb in the main clause requires the subjunctive in the

subordinate clause, the subjunctive is generally only used if the

subject of the main verb is different from that of the subordinate

verb:

Quiere que yo venga.

He wants me to come.

When the subjects are the same, typically the infinitive is used:

Quiere venir.

He wants to come.

2 English speakers should note that a very common pattern of use

converts an English infinitive construction such as ‘I asked him

to go yesterday’ into a main clause linked to a following

subordinate clause by que:

Le pedí que se fuera ayer.

(literally: ‘I asked that he should go yesterday.’)

Similarly que+ subjunctive may correspond to a gerund construction

in English:

Insisto en que lo haga Antonio.

I insist on Antonio doing it.