Subjunctive after Doubt and Negated Belief

Level 5

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.

A denied belief can concern a present property, a later action or prior completion: no crec que sigui cert, que vingui or que hagi vingut. The subjunctive tense separates these meanings. Do not teach the main verb as a command to replace every subordinate tense with the same present form. In a past account, dubtava que ho sabés moves the doubt's viewpoint and commonly selects imperfect subjunctive.

Examples (3)

  1. No crec que sigui cert.

    I do not think it is true.

  2. Dubtava que ho sabés.

    She doubted that he knew it.

  3. No em sembla que hagi arribat.

    It does not seem to me that she has arrived.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

Subjunctive after Doubt and Negated BeliefLevel 5

Learn This First

Identify the nonasserted proposition before choosing its subjunctive form. Choose subordinate tense from its relationship to the main-clause viewpoint.