Spanish: An Essential Grammar

Present indicative and present subjunctive

The endings for the present subjunctive are generally predictable from the

endings for the present indicative. The subjunctive forms are created from

the indicative forms by changing the vowel in the verb ending: -ar verbs

have ein the subjunctive ending, while -er and -irverbs have a.

For the uses of the subjunctive see Chapter 12.

Regular present indicative and present subjunctive verb forms

The regular forms are illustrated in Tables 10.1 and 10.2.

Table 10.1Regular present indicative

Person Hablar‘speak’ Beber‘drink’ Subir‘go up’

Singular

1 (yo) hablo bebo subo

2 (tú) hablas bebes subes

(vos) hablás [LA] bebés [LA] subís [LA]

3 (él etc.) habla bebe sube

Plural

1 (nosotros) hablamos bebemos subimos

2 (vosotros) habláis [SP] bebéis [SP] subís [SP]

3 (ellos etc.) hablan beben suben

10.1.1

10.1^1111

2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

1011

1

12111

3 4 5 6 7 8 9

20111

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

30111

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

40

41111

10

Verb forms

98

Present subjunctive forms

In contrast to the indicative, the 1st and 3rd person singular forms

of the present subjunctive are identical: (yo) hable, (él) hable.