Indicative and Subjunctive in Complement Clauses
Subjunctive often marks content that is desired, doubted or otherwise not asserted as a fact.
How It Works
Crec que vindrà and penso que tens raó present a belief as the speaker's assertion, even though a belief is not certain knowledge. Uncertainty in a broad everyday sense does not by itself require the subjunctive.
Assertion is not the same as objective certainty. Crec que funcionarà still asserts a belief and normally uses indicative; és possible que funcioni presents a possibility with subjunctive. An evaluative és magnífic que funcioni can also use subjunctive while accepting the result as real. Analyze what the main predicate does to the subordinate proposition instead of dividing every clause into true and false facts.
Examples (3)
- Crec que funcionarà.
I think it will work.
- No crec que funcioni.
I do not think it works.
- És magnífic que funcioni.
It is wonderful that it works.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Recognize an asserted belief even when the speaker is uncertain. Identify the nonasserted proposition before choosing its subjunctive form. Recognize that a known fact can still receive subjunctive under evaluation.
- Indicative after Affirmed Belief
Recognize an asserted belief even when the speaker is uncertain.
Level 4 - Present Subjunctive after Doubt or Denial
Identify the nonasserted proposition before choosing its subjunctive form.
Level 4 - Present Subjunctive after Evaluation
Recognize that a known fact can still receive subjunctive under evaluation.
Level 4
Practice Indicative and Subjunctive in Complement Clauses in Bubblegum
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