Unit 13
The Suhjmietive Mood: The Present Subjimctive
When you study the indicative mood tenses (el indicativo) in Span-ish, you learn that the speaker is talking about actions, events, or States that he or she perceives as facts or truths. When studying the subjunctive mood (el subjuntivo), you will see that the attitude of the speaker determines the mood that will convey the message. Notę the attitude or point of view of the subject in the following examples:
Mario confirmó su
reservación.
Mario recibira su billete
por correo electrónico.
Mario confirmed his
reseruation.
Mario will recewe his ticket by e-mail.
Both confirmó in the preterit and recibira in the futurę are actions expressed in the indicative mood. The speaker perceives these actions as real—facts or actual events that happened in the past or will happen in the futurę. The description of Mario s activities directly expresses that reality. On the other hand, if the perspective of the subject conveys doubt or uncertainty, the subjunctive mood is necessary. Study the following example:
Mario duda que el agente Mario douhts (that) the travel de vi aj es confirme su agent will confirm his
reservación. reservation.
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