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Lección Estructuras Práctica Asignación

6.03 ¿Eres un genio mágico?

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You just learned how to conjugate the subjunctive mood. After completing this lesson you will be able to use the subjunctive to express wishes, desires, and requests. The subjunctive is often subjective, in other words, it states what one person wants or doesn't want, asks, hopes, tells, insists or requires someone else to do. A sentences that includes the subjunctive form has two parts, a main clause in the first part, and a dependent clause in the second part. A clause has its own subject and verb. The main clause is what gives meaning to the dependent clause. The subjunctive is often used in the dependent clause and it is connected to the main clause with que. Here is what the sentence structure looks like:

main clause	+ que +	dependent clause
Yo quiero	que	Marcelo hable con ella.

Let's take a look at a presentation about "La lámpara de Aladino" for further explanation of the subjunctive formation.

When the verb in the main clause expresses wishes, desires, or requests the verb in the dependent clause uses the subjunctive mood. Here are some of the verbs that express wishes, desires, and requests.

querer	to want
desear	to wish
decir	to tell, to say
permitir	to allow, to permit
necesitar	to need
sugerir	to suggest

insistir	to insist
esperar	to hope
aconsejar	to advise
recomendar	to recommend
pedir	to ask for
rogar (ue)	to beg

Let's put it in context...
As you can see in the examples above, the structure of the subjunctive is present on both. Notice how the second verb in each of the sentences is conjugated in the subjunctive to indicate that the first verb is a wish or a request, subject to its reality. The main clause is trying to influence the dependent clause.

Ahora tú...

If you want to express that you want your brother to finish his homework, how would you do it?

Let's review the formula: Subject 1 + Verb 1 + que + Subject 2 + Verb 2

• "Yo" would be Subject 1; the verb "querer" in the indicative (quiero) will express your wish and will act as Verb 1.
• Then, you need the "que" to glue the two parts of the formula together.
• Now you need Subject 2, this will be "mi hermano" and next Verb 2 "terminar" in the subjunctive (termine) because you are expressing a wish, your wish.
• To finish the sentence you will add the modifier "la tarea."

Let's see the finished product: Yo quiero que mi hermano termine la tarea.

¡Muy bien! Let's see if you can do it on your own:

• María wishes that Carlos goes out with her.

  María desea que Carlos salga con ella.
  María wishes that Carlos goes out with her.
• Esteban wants Nelia to buy new shoes.

  Esteban quiere que Nelia compre zapatos nuevos.
  Esteban wants Nelia to buy new shoes.
• My mother insists that I go to the doctor.

  Mi madre insiste que yo vaya al doctor.
  My mother insists that I go to the doctor.
• The students need the professor to change the exam date.

  Los estudiantes necesitan que el profesor cambie la fecha del examen.
  The students need the professor to change the exam date.
  
• I hope (that) Hector studies for his class.

  Espero que Héctor estudie para su clase.  
  I hope (that) Hector studies for his class.