In the previous lesson, we learned how to conjugate the present subjective tense of regular verbs. While the present subjunctive of most verbs is formed by dropping the –o from the yo (first person singular) of the present indicative form of a verb and adding the appropriate ending, there are exceptions. This week we’ll look at some verbs that either take a spelling change based on their infinitive endings or are completely irregular in the present subjunctive.

 

If you’re still struggling with the present subjunctive after reading this lesson and the previous one, contact the Language Island in Atlanta. Our highly-qualified Spanish teachers offer customized, one-on-one classes on all aspects of the Spanish language.

 

The Present Subjunctive of Verbs Ending in –CAR, –GAR, and –ZAR

The subjunctives of verbs ending in –CAR, –GAR, and –ZAR follow the same spelling changes as they do in the command forms. Here is an example of each:

 

	C > QU	G > GU	Z > C
Pronoun	Explicar To explain	Llegar To arrive, to come	Comenzar To commence, to start, to begin
yo	explique	llegue	comience
tú	expliques	llegues	comiences
ud., él, ella	explique	llegue	comience
nosotros, nosotras	expliquemos	lleguemos	comencemos
vosotros, vosotras	expliquéis	lleguéis	comencéis
uds., ellos, ellas	expliquen	lleguen	comiencen

 

 

­True Irregular Present Subjunctive Verbs

The following verbs are completely irregular in the present subjunctive. These verbs follow no predictable pattern, so their conjugations must be memorized:

 

Pronoun	Estar To be	Ser To be	Haber To have	Saber To know	Dar To give	Ir To go
yo	esté	sea	haya	sepa	dé	vaya
tú	estés	seas	hayas	sepas	des	vayas
ud., él, ella	esté	sea	haya	sepa	dé	vaya
nosotros, nosotras	estemos	seamos	hayamos	sepamos	demos	vayamos
vosotros, vosotras	estéis	seáis	hayáis	sepáis	deis	vayáis
uds., ellos, ellas	estén	sean	hayan	sepan	den	vayan