Practice Makes Perfect Spanish Verb Tenses, Second ... - Ktooba.com

Ignorance
Verbs in the main clause that express ignorance or doubt set up the need for the subjunctive in the
subordinate clause. In these situations, the subject acknowledges uncertainty or ignorance of
the outcome of the action described in the subordinate clause.
Below are several common verbs of ignorance that require the use of the subjunctive.
VOCABULARIO
dudar que to doubt that
no creer que to not believe that
no estar convencido/convencida de que to not be convinced that
no estar seguro/segura de que to not be sure that
no imaginarse que to not imagine that
no parecer que to not seem that
no pensar que to not think that
no suponer que to not suppose that
temer que to suspect/fear that
Most of these verbs are actually used in the negative, for example, no estar seguro que (“to not be
sure that”). Although these verbs in the negative set up the use of the subjunctive in the subordinate
clause, these same verbs in the affi rmative set up the indicative in the subordinate clause.
EJERCICIO
20·3
NEGATIVE/SUBJUNCTIVE Yo no creo que Juan tenga el dinero.
I don’t think that John has the money.
AFFIRMATIVE/INDICATIVE Yo creo que Juan tiene el dinero.
I think that John has the money.
Traducción
1. I doubt that she eats in that restaurant.
2. I don’t suppose that you’ll tell me his name.
3. They [m.] don’t believe that he plays the piano.
4. She isn’t sure that the coff ee is ready.
5. We don’t think that the Vikings will win the game.
6. He is not convinced that I need so much money.
The present subjunctive 217