This, indeed, is one of my favorite topics in the Spanish language. Unfortunately is also one of the most troublesome for the students.
As we already know, in the Spanish language we contemplate two moods (apart from Imperative) which alternate in depends on what context: The Indicative and the Subjunctive. The Indicative is the unmarked mood because is the one we use generally. On the other hand, Subjunctive is the marked mood because (except for the independent Subjunctive) its presence is marked out by some element in the sentence/context.
Most of the time, the mood to use is clearly defined because there is nothing in the context that allows us to doubt about it:
- Pienso que López no está (*esté) estudiando tano como debería
- Es necesario que tu personaje tenga (*tiene) más fuerza para esta aventura
As we can see, there is clearly no doubt about what mood to use in these two previous examples because their contexts clearly tell us what mood is required in each.
Nevertheless, this is not so clear sometimes. There are many verbs (or contexts) which, depending on the meaning that is implied, can be followed rather by Indicative or Subjunctive. Let´s take a look at the next examples:
- Communication/Influence: Some verbs (like "decir") can have sometimes a meaning of communication and therefore will be followed by Indicative, but some other times they can have a meaning of request, command, suggestion (influence) and they will be followed by Subjunctive:
A) Me dijo que hice un buen trabajo (communication)
B) Me dijo que hiciera un buen trabajo (request)
- Thought/Intention: Thought/Thinking verbs are followed by indicative (when in affirmative) when they express a personal opinion about something. But these verbs can also mean "to decide" or "to make a choice" and in these cases, they will require Subjunctive:
A) Creo que tienes demasiado tiempo libre (opinion)
B) He pensado en que tengas dos días más de vacaciones antes de venir a trabajar (decision, more similar "to make a choice for you")
- Perception/Intention or Will: Verbs like "ver", "mirar" or "imaginar" can express a personal perception about the reality (similar to "thinking" verbs) and, in that case, they will request a verb in Indicative. But in some occasions, these verbs can have a meaning of will, a "try to make something"; expressing the intention of the speaker in regards of something or someone. Here, they will be followed by Subjunctive:
A) Veo que todavía tienes esa cicatriz de tu última batalla (veo = I can observe, the information I am giving is a fact)
B) Antes de empezar, veré que Matías no se duerma (veré = I´ll look after him so he won´t fall asleep)
