Subjunctive in Relative Clauses
Compare an actual description with a condition that someone or something needs to meet.
How It Works
Actual description or open requirement? In a relative clause, indicative commonly presents a property as actual. A context such as buscar, necesitar, or querer can instead support subjunctive when the description is a condition to be met.
Both are grammatical: Busco un libro que tiene información sobre los mayas. / Busco un libro que tenga información sobre los mayas. Tiene describes a particular book with that information; tenga asks for a book meeting the requirement, without selecting one. Busco al profesor que habla alemán similarly presents a particular professor; Busco un profesor que hable alemán leaves the choice open.
Articles and identity do not decide mood. Tengo un amigo que vive en Madrid presents an actual friend despite un. Compraré el libro que me recomiendes (I will buy whichever book you recommend) has el but leaves a future choice open. Busco a la persona que tiene las llaves (I am looking for the person who has the keys) can use indicative even if I do not know that person’s name. The relevant distinction is not simply “known” versus “unknown.”
Other common subjunctive contexts: Necesito un coche que sea económico expresses a requirement. No hay nadie que pueda ayudarnos denies the existence of anyone meeting the description. No conozco ningún restaurante que sirva paella por aquí says the speaker knows of no such restaurant. Questions can also leave a suitable person open: ¿Conoces a alguien que pueda ayudarme? These are normal subjunctive readings, not a rule that every negative word or every question forces that mood.
Use the whole sentence to interpret the choice. The subjunctive does not itself mean that the person or thing is imaginary, and a definite article does not by itself force indicative.
Examples (6)
- Busco una casa que tenga un jardín grande.
I'm looking for a house that has a big garden.
Word by Word: I look for / a house / that has [subjunctive] / a big garden.
The speaker is looking for any house that meets the criteria, not a specific one they already know. Therefore, 'tenga' (subjunctive) is used.
- No hay nadie que sepa la respuesta.
There is no one who knows the answer.
Word by Word: There is no one / who knows [subjunctive] / the answer.
No hay nadie denies that anyone meets the description, giving the normal subjunctive sepa. The word nadie alone is not an all-context rule for mood.
- ¿Conoces a alguien que pueda arreglar mi ordenador?
Do you know anyone who can fix my computer?
Word by Word: Do you know someone / who can [subjunctive] / fix my computer?
The question leaves open who might meet the requirement of fixing the computer. Pueda is not chosen merely because a person’s identity is unknown.
- Necesitamos un empleado que hable japonés.
We need an employee who speaks Japanese.
Word by Word: We need / an employee / who speaks [subjunctive] / Japanese.
- Quiero casarme con un hombre que sea amable y divertido.
I want to marry a man who is kind and fun.
Word by Word: I want to marry / a man / who is [subjunctive] / kind and fun.
- Encontré la casa que tiene un jardín grande.
I found the house that has a big garden.
Word by Word: I found the house that has a big garden.
Encontré presents a completed finding and tiene describes the house’s actual property. La alone does not determine mood; prospective definite phrases can take subjunctive.
Common Mistakes
Using an open-choice subjunctive in a straightforward report of a completed purchase.
Ya compré el coche que me guste.Ya compré el coche que me gusta.For the intended ordinary report that you already bought the car you like, use gusta. The correction follows that completed-purchase meaning, not a rule that el always requires indicative; a future choice can use Compraré el coche que me guste.
Confusing 'I have a friend who...' with 'I'm looking for a friend who...'
Tengo un amigo que viva en Argentina.Tengo un amigo que vive en Argentina.Here tengo asserts that you have a friend who lives in Argentina, so use vive. Viva does not fit this plain affirmative statement. Adding a different surrounding construction can support subjunctive; simply changing mood does not turn tengo into “I am looking for.”
How It Connects
Learn This First
To use the subjunctive in adjective clauses, you first need to learn the present subjunctive conjugations. You also need to understand how relative clauses are formed using 'que' and be able to distinguish between definite and indefinite antecedents, as the latter is the primary trigger for this specific mood choice.
- -e/-es/-e/-emos/-éis/-enPresent Subjunctive -AR
Learners must know how to conjugate verbs in the present subjunctive to use them within adjective clauses.
Level 3 - queRelative Pronoun Que
Adjective clauses are typically introduced by the relative pronoun 'que', which connects the antecedent to the description.
Level 3
Related Patterns
- el/la/los/lasDefinite Articles
Definite articles identify a referent, but do not automatically select indicative. Prospective phrases can also combine el/la with a subjunctive relative clause.
Foundations - no hay nadie que + SubjunctiveNonexistent Antecedent
The ordinary no hay nadie que construction denies that any person meets the description and takes subjunctive. This is a particular construction, not a rule for every occurrence of nadie.
Level 4 - -a/-as/-a/-amos/-áis/-anPresent Subjunctive -ER/-IR
Regular -ER/-IR subjunctive endings are useful here. Irregular verbs need their own forms, such as pueda from poder and sea from ser.
Level 3
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
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