The subjunctive mood is an essential part of Catalan grammar, often considered a tricky aspect for language learners. It expresses doubt, uncertainty, wishes, hypothetical situations, and subjective opinions. In Catalan, just like in many Romance languages, the subjunctive mood has several tenses, but in this article, we will focus on the present and past subjunctive forms. Understanding and mastering these forms will significantly enhance your proficiency in Catalan.
Understanding the Subjunctive Mood
The subjunctive mood is different from the indicative mood, which is used to state facts and express certainty. Instead, the subjunctive is used in situations that are not certain or are dependent on another action or condition. It’s often triggered by certain verbs, expressions, conjunctions, and relative pronouns.
In Catalan, the subjunctive mood is used in a variety of contexts, including:
– Expressing desires, hopes, and wishes.
– Giving advice or making suggestions.
– Expressing doubt, uncertainty, or denial.
– Hypothetical or conditional statements.
– After certain conjunctions and relative pronouns.
Present Subjunctive
The present subjunctive is used to talk about situations in the present or future that are uncertain or dependent on another action. It’s formed by taking the first person singular of the present indicative, dropping the ending, and adding the subjunctive endings.
Regular verbs:
For regular verbs, the present subjunctive endings are as follows:
-AR verbs:
– jo -i
– tu -is
– ell/ella/vostè -i
– nosaltres -em
– vosaltres -eu
– ells/elles/vostès -in
-ER and -RE verbs:
– jo -i
– tu -is
– ell/ella/vostè -i
– nosaltres -em
– vosaltres -eu
– ells/elles/vostès -in
-IR verbs:
– jo -i
– tu -is
– ell/ella/vostè -i
– nosaltres -im
– vosaltres -iu
– ells/elles/vostès -in
Examples:
-AR verbs:
– parlar (to speak): jo parli, tu parlis, ell/ella/vostè parli, nosaltres parlem, vosaltres parleu, ells/elles/vostès parlin
-ER verbs:
– menjar (to eat): jo mengi, tu mengis, ell/ella/vostè mengi, nosaltres mengem, vosaltres mengeu, ells/elles/vostès mengin
-IR verbs:
– dormir (to sleep): jo dormi, tu dormis, ell/ella/vostè dormi, nosaltres dormim, vosaltres dormiu, ells/elles/vostès dormin
Irregular verbs:
Some common irregular verbs in the present subjunctive include:
– ser (to be): jo sigui, tu siguis, ell/ella/vostè sigui, nosaltres siguem, vosaltres sigueu, ells/elles/vostès siguin
– tenir (to have): jo tingui, tu tinguis, ell/ella/vostè tingui, nosaltres tinguem, vosaltres tingueu, ells/elles/vostès tinguin
– fer (to do/make): jo faci, tu facis, ell/ella/vostè faci, nosaltres facem, vosaltres faceu, ells/elles/vostès facin
Usage of Present Subjunctive
The present subjunctive is often used after certain expressions and conjunctions such as:
– Desires and wishes: Espero que (I hope that), Desitjo que (I wish that)
– Doubt and uncertainty: Dubto que (I doubt that), És possible que (It’s possible that)
– Opinions and emotional reactions: Em sorprèn que (It surprises me that), Em fa feliç que (It makes me happy that)
– Conjunctions: perquè (so that), abans que (before), a menys que (unless)
Examples:
– Espero que vinguis a la festa. (I hope you come to the party.)
– Dubto que plogui demà. (I doubt that it will rain tomorrow.)
– Em sorprèn que no sàpigues la resposta. (It surprises me that you don’t know the answer.)
– He estudiat perquè passi l’examen. (I have studied so that I pass the exam.)
Past Subjunctive
The past subjunctive is used to talk about hypothetical situations in the past, past wishes, and past actions that are dependent on another action. The past subjunctive is formed by taking the third person plural of the preterite indicative, dropping the ending, and adding the past subjunctive endings.
Regular verbs:
For regular verbs, the past subjunctive endings are as follows:
-AR verbs:
– jo -és
– tu -essis
– ell/ella/vostè -és
– nosaltres -éssim
– vosaltres -éssiu
– ells/elles/vostès -essin
-ER and -RE verbs:
– jo -és
– tu -essis
– ell/ella/vostè -és
– nosaltres -éssim
– vosaltres -éssiu
– ells/elles/vostès -essin
-IR verbs:
– jo -ís
– tu -issis
– ell/ella/vostè -ís
– nosaltres -íssim
– vosaltres -íssiu
– ells/elles/vostès -issin
Examples:
-AR verbs:
– parlar (to speak): jo parlés, tu parlessis, ell/ella/vostè parlés, nosaltres parléssim, vosaltres parléssiu, ells/elles/vostès parlessin
-ER verbs:
– menjar (to eat): jo mengés, tu mengessis, ell/ella/vostè mengés, nosaltres mengéssim, vosaltres mengéssiu, ells/elles/vostès mengessin
-IR verbs:
– dormir (to sleep): jo dormís, tu dormissis, ell/ella/vostè dormís, nosaltres dormíssim, vosaltres dormíssiu, ells/elles/vostès dormissin
Irregular verbs:
Some common irregular verbs in the past subjunctive include:
– ser (to be): jo fos, tu fossis, ell/ella/vostè fos, nosaltres fóssim, vosaltres fóssiu, ells/elles/vostès fossin
– tenir (to have): jo tingués, tu tinguessis, ell/ella/vostè tingués, nosaltres tinguéssim, vosaltres tinguéssiu, ells/elles/vostès tinguessin
– fer (to do/make): jo fes, tu fessis, ell/ella/vostè fes, nosaltres féssim, vosaltres féssiu, ells/elles/vostès fessin
Usage of Past Subjunctive
The past subjunctive is often used in similar contexts as the present subjunctive but refers to past actions or situations. It is commonly used with expressions of doubt, desire, or hypothetical situations in the past.
– Desires and wishes in the past: Hauria volgut que (I would have wanted that), M’agradaria que (I would like that)
– Doubt and uncertainty in the past: Dubtava que (I doubted that), No creia que (I didn’t believe that)
– Hypothetical situations in the past: Si hagués sabut (If I had known), Si fos aquí (If he were here)
Examples:
– Hauria volgut que vinguessis a la festa. (I would have wanted you to come to the party.)
– Dubtava que plogués ahir. (I doubted that it rained yesterday.)
– No creia que sabessis la resposta. (I didn’t believe that you knew the answer.)
– Si hagués sabut, hauria fet alguna cosa diferent. (If I had known, I would have done something different.)
Practice and Application
Mastering the subjunctive mood in Catalan requires practice and exposure to real-life contexts where it is used. Here are some tips to help you practice and apply the present and past subjunctive:
1. Read and Listen:
– Read Catalan books, newspapers, and online articles that use the subjunctive mood.
– Listen to Catalan podcasts, songs, and watch movies or TV shows to hear the subjunctive in context.
2. Practice Writing:
– Write sentences and short paragraphs using the present and past subjunctive.
– Create dialogues or short stories that incorporate the subjunctive mood.
3. Speak and Use:
– Practice speaking with native Catalan speakers or language partners.
– Use the subjunctive mood in conversations, even if it feels challenging at first.
4. Grammar Exercises:
– Complete grammar exercises and drills focused on the subjunctive mood.
– Use language learning apps or websites that offer interactive exercises.
5. Seek Feedback:
– Ask for feedback from teachers, language partners, or native speakers to correct and improve your use of the subjunctive mood.
Conclusion
The subjunctive mood in Catalan, particularly the present and past subjunctive, is a critical aspect of the language that allows you to express doubt, uncertainty, wishes, and hypothetical situations. While it may seem challenging at first, with consistent practice and exposure, you can master its forms and uses. By reading, listening, writing, speaking, and seeking feedback, you will become more comfortable and proficient in using the subjunctive mood in Catalan. Happy learning!
