Expressing Strong Positive Feelings

Think of this grammar as a bridge. On one side, you have your feeling. In the middle, you have the word que. On the other side, you have the action. But here is the catch. You need two different people. This is the "Two-Subject Rule." Person A feels something about Person B's action. For example, "I am happy that you dance." If you are happy about your own dancing, you don't need this. You only use the Subjunctive when the feeling crosses the bridge to someone else. It's like a relay race. You pass the emotional baton to your friend. If there is no second person, the bridge collapses. You just use the normal infinitive verb. It's like ordering a pizza for yourself versus ordering one for a friend. The process changes slightly when someone else is involved.

1. 1Creating the Subjunctive is like a magic trick. We call it the "Vowel Swap." Follow these three simple steps:
2. 2Start with the yo form of the present tense. For example, hablo or como.
3. 3Drop the o at the end. Now you have the stem: habl- or com-.
4. 4Add the "opposite" ending.
5. 5For -ar verbs: use -e, -es, -e, -emos, -éis, -en.
6. 6For -er and -ir verbs: use -a, -as, -a, -amos, -áis, -an.
7. 7It’s a simple switch! If the verb usually ends in a, give it an e. If it usually ends in e, give it an a. It's like wearing your shoes on the wrong feet for a moment. It feels different, but it tells everyone you're in the "Subjunctive Mood."

Use this pattern for strong positive feelings. This includes joy, love, and excitement. Common triggers are Me alegra que... (It makes me happy that...) and Me encanta que... (I love that...). You can also use Es fantástico que... (It's fantastic that...). Imagine you are at a birthday party. You see your best friend arrive. You say, Me alegra que estés aquí. It makes the sentiment feel warmer and more personal. Or imagine you're at a job interview. You might say, Me alegra que me llamen. It shows you're excited about the opportunity. It's perfect for ordering food too. "I love that you have vegan options!" becomes Me encanta que tengan opciones veganas. Use it whenever you want to share the love.

Don't use the Subjunctive if there is only one person involved. If I say "I love to dance," I say Me encanta bailar. There is no que and no second subject. I am the one feeling and the one dancing. Also, don't use it for cold, hard facts. If you say "I know you are here," that's a fact. You use the Indicative: Sé que estás aquí. The Subjunctive is for the heart, not just the head. If you're just reporting the news, stay with the regular verbs. Think of the Subjunctive as the "sparkle" on top of a sentence. If there's no emotion, there's no sparkle. Don't force it where it doesn't belong!

The biggest mistake is forgetting the "vowel swap." Many people say Me alegra que vienes. But it must be vengas. It sounds like a small detail, but it's the heart of the rule. Another common error is forgetting the word que. You need that bridge! Without it, the sentence falls apart. Also, watch out for the subject. If you are talking about yourself, don't use the Subjunctive. Me alegra que yo vaya sounds very weird. Just say Me alegra ir. It's much more natural. Finally, don't overthink it. If you're feeling happy about someone else, just swap that vowel and keep going.

Let's compare the two moods. The Indicative is for facts. The Subjunctive is for feelings.

• Indicative: Tú hablas español. (You speak Spanish. This is a fact.)
• Subjunctive: Me gusta que hables español. (I like that you speak Spanish. This is my feeling.)

Notice how hablas becomes hables. The first sentence is like a photograph. It just shows what is happening. The second sentence is like a painting. It shows how I feel about what is happening. One is objective; the other is subjective. That is why we call it the Subjunctive! It's all about your personal perspective on the world around you.