296. In dependent clauses the subjunctive
is much more common in Spanish than in English. In most cases where
the subjunctive is required in Spanish, the English uses the indicative
or an infinitive phrase. The study of the Spanish subjunctive in
dependent clauses is, therefore, of special importance. The Spanish
subjunctive may be used in three classes of dependent clauses, (1)
substantive or noun clauses, (2) adjective clauses, or (3) adverbial
clauses.
297. Subjunctive in Noun Clauses. A dependent
noun clause which serves as the logical object or subject of a verb
expressing, (1) command, (2) desire, (3) emotion, (4) doubt or denial,
(5) necessity or possibility, (6) approval or preference, or any
other verbs expressing such or similar ideas or their opposites,
is expressed by the subjunctive introduced by que, whenever
the subject of the dependent clause is different from that of
the principal clause:
| 1. |
Me
manda que venga. |
He orders me to
come. |
| Me dijo que viniera. |
He told me to come. |
| 2. |
Quiero que V. vaya. |
I want you to go. |
| Quería que V.
fuese. |
I wanted you to go. |
| Desean que les escribamos. |
They want us to write to them. |
| 3. |
Siento que V. haya hecho
eso. |
I am sorry you have done that. |
| Espero que venga. |
I hope he will come. |
| Esperaba que le hablásemos. |
He expected us to speak
to him. |
| 4. |
Dudo que lo haga. |
I doubt that he will do it. |
| Niego que me hayan dicho
eso. |
I deny their having told
me that. |
| Dudaba que fuese así. |
He doubted that it was thus. |
| 5. |
Es posible que yo vaya
mañana. |
It is possible that I may go
to-morrow. |
| No es probable que venga. |
It is not probable that he
will come. |
| 6. |
No apruebo que digan
esas cosas. |
I do not approve their saying
such things. |
| Prefiero que callen. |
I prefer that you keep silent. |
298. If the subject of the dependent clause is
the same as that of the principal clause, the infinitive (as in
English) is used, and not the subjunctive.
| |
Yo quiero abrir la puerta. |
I wish to open the door. |
| Not: |
Yo quiero que yo abra puerta. |
|
299. Some verbs, however, allow the infinitive
construction as well as the subjunctive when there is a change of
subject. Of these the most common are: aconsejar, '
to advise,' permitir, ' to allow,' prohibir,
' to prohibit,' mandar, ' to order.'
No le permitió
que saliera.
No le permitió salir. |
} |
He did not allow him to leave. |
| |
Te prohibo que fumes.
Te prohibo fumar. |
} |
I prohibit you to smoke. |
| |
Le mandó que viniera.
Le mandó venir. |
} |
He ordered him to come. |
300. With impersonal verbs, either the subjunctive
or the infinitive may be used.
Me es
preciso ir a verlo.
Es preciso que yo vaya a verlo. |
} |
I must go to
see him. |
| |
Me fué preciso
ir.
Fué preciso que yo fuera. |
} |
It was necessary for me to
go. |
| |
No les es fácil
hallarlo.
No es fácil que to hallen. |
} |
It is not easy for them to
find it. |
| |
Le es imposible ir
ahora.
Es imposible que él vaya ahora. |
} |
It is impossible for him
to go now. |
a. In some cases when the impersonal expression is composed
of verb and noun, only the subjunctive is allowed:
| Es lástima que
V. no lo sepa. |
It is a pity that you do not
know it. |
| Es tiempo de que venga. |
It is time for him to come. |
301. Review the present subjunctive of all the
verbs given in 271, 285. Learn the past subjunctive
(both forms) of the same verbs.
Learn also the present and past subjunctives of poner (484),
poder (483) and traer
(490).
|
