Subjunctive Conjugation: A Guide to Spanish, French & Italian

The subjunctive mood—it's one of the trickiest parts of learning Romance languages. Here's a guide to subjunctive conjugation in Spanish, French, and Italian.

What Is the Subjunctive?

The subjunctive expresses:

• Doubt, uncertainty: "I doubt that..."
• Wishes, desires: "I hope that..."
• Emotions: "I'm happy that..."
• Opinions, recommendations: "It's important that..."

Spanish Subjunctive

Formation

• Present subjunctive: Take present tense "yo" form, drop -o, add opposite endings
• Example: "hablar" → "hablo" → "hable, hables, hable, hablemos, habléis, hablen"

Common Triggers

• Espero que (I hope that)
• Dudo que (I doubt that)
• Es importante que (It's important that)

Examples

• "Espero que hables español" — I hope you speak Spanish
• "Dudo que venga mañana" — I doubt he'll come tomorrow

French Subjunctive

Formation

• Present subjunctive: Irregular stem + endings (-e, -es, -e, -ions, -iez, -ent)
• Many irregular verbs: être, avoir, faire, aller

Common Triggers

• Il faut que (It's necessary that)
• Je veux que (I want that)
• Il est important que (It's important that)

Examples

• "Il faut que tu ailles" — You must go
• "Je veux que tu sois heureux" — I want you to be happy

Italian Subjunctive

Formation

• Present subjunctive: Similar to Spanish
• Many irregular verbs: essere, avere, andare

Common Triggers

• Spero che (I hope that)
• È importante che (It's important that)

Master the Subjunctive

The best way to master subjunctive is through daily practice. Use it in conversations, get feedback, and learn through context. Try Parlai and practice Spanish, French, or Italian through real conversations with immediate feedback.