Present Subjunctive after Doubt or Denial

Level 4

Doubt and ordinary negated belief commonly introduce a subjunctive complement.

How It Works

Dubto que vingui and no crec que tingui temps do not assert the subordinate proposition. Present subjunctive suits a situation simultaneous with or later than the current doubt. The English translation may use an ordinary present or future form instead.

An affirmative belief normally uses indicative: crec que vindrà. Negation is not a magical switch in every possible context; a speaker can preserve indicative when independently asserting or echoing content. The neutral nonasserted pattern taught here is subjunctive.

For an action already completed, use perfect subjunctive: no crec que hagi arribat. Choose time independently of the doubt expression, then choose the corresponding subjunctive tense.

Examples (3)

  1. Dubto que vingui.

    I doubt that she will come.

  2. No crec que tingui temps.

    I do not think he has time.

  3. No em sembla que sigui correcte.

    It does not seem to me that it is correct.

How It Connects

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Present Subjunctive after Doubt or DenialLevel 4

Learn This First

Recognize subjunctive forms and nonasserted content before extending the mood to new clauses.

Learn Next

Patterns that build on this one.