Subjunctive
VS. Indicative
When to Use Which
Impersonal
Expressions
• Both follow impersonal expressions, BUT
certain phrases decide whether
SUBJUNCTIVE or PRESENT INDICATIVE is
needed.
• To remember which to use, think of WEIRDO
and SPOCK.
Subjunctive—
WEIRDO
• W – Wishes
• E – Emotions
• I – Impersonal Expressions
• R – Requests, Recommendations
• D – Doubt, Disbelief, Denial
• O – Ojalá, Hope
**ALL are followed by ―que‖**
W – Wishes
• Querer
• Pedir
• Necesitar
• Esperar
• Preferir
E – Emotions
• Enojar
• Alegrarse
• Sentir
• Encantar
I – Impersonal
Expressions
• Es bueno
• Es malo
• Es importante
• Es necesario
R –
Requests, Recomme
ndations
• Recomendar
• Sugerir
• Aconsejar
• Insistir
D –
Doubt, Disbelief, De
nial
• Es no cierto
• Es no verdad
• Dudar
• No creer
• No pensar
O – Ojalá, Hope
• Ojalá
Indicative – SPOCK
• S – Speech , Communication
• P – Perceptions
• O – Occurrences, Events
• C – Certainty
• K –Knowledge, Understanding
**ALL are followed by ―que‖**
S –
Speech, Communica
tion
• Decir
• Describir
• Asegurar
• Afirmar
P – Perceptions
• Observar
• Ver
• Encontrarse
• Notar
• Percibir
O –
Occurrences, Events
• Pasar
• Ocurrir
• Suceder
C – Certainty
• Es claro
• Es seguro
• Es cierto
• Es obvio
• Es evidente
• Es verdad
K –
Knowledge, Underst
anding
• Creer
• Saber
• Leer
• Aprender
Remember…
• That all the phrases shown before are
followed by ―que‖ NO MATTER WHAT!
• WEIRDO phrases ALWAYS call for
SUBJUNCTIVE!
• SPOCK phrases ALWAYS call for
INDICATIVE!
Sources
• http://www.quizlet.com
• http://scsonline.salem.k12.va.us

Subjunctive vs. Indicative