{"id":3353,"date":"2021-11-12T09:29:39","date_gmt":"2021-11-12T14:29:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/commons.princeton.edu\/contextos\/?p=3353"},"modified":"2023-08-17T17:06:54","modified_gmt":"2023-08-17T21:06:54","slug":"subjuntivo-influencia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/commons.princeton.edu\/contextos\/subjuntivo-influencia\/","title":{"rendered":"Subjuntivo con verbos de influencia"},"content":{"rendered":"
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To express influence in Spanish, one can utter direct commands, like: Vengan a clase, No hables ingl\u00e9s en clase, Si\u00e9ntese ah\u00ed<\/em>. This is called the imperative mood. Alternatively, one can express commands indirectly by using the two-clause construction described below:<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
<\/td>\nInsisto que {<\/span>vengan<\/strong><\/span> a clase}.<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\nI insist you (plural) come to class.<\/em><\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\nRecomiendo que {no hables<\/strong><\/span> ingl\u00e9s en clase}.<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\nI recommend you (informal) don’t speak English in class.<\/em><\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\nPrefiero que {Ud. se siente<\/strong><\/span> ah\u00ed}.<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\nI prefer you (formal) sit there.<\/em><\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

The clauses in brackets are noun clauses\u2014the whole clause is the direct object of the main clause (what do I insist on\/recommend\/prefer?) Notice how the verbs in those bracketed clauses are in the subjunctive mood: vengan<\/strong><\/span>, <\/em>hables <\/strong><\/span>and se siente<\/span><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

The verbs in the main clause that introduce an indirect command are called \u201cverbos de influencia\u201d because, when referring to someone else; they try to change or influence the behavior of that person. These verbs don\u2019t report an existing reality; rather, they express the desire that the event contained in the dependent clause is realized. This is why we use the subjunctive mood and not the indicative.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Some common verbs of influence are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
<\/td>\nquerer (ie)
\n<\/strong><\/td>\n		to want<\/em><\/td>\nrecomendar (ie)
\n<\/strong><\/td>\n		to recommend<\/em><\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\nesperar
\n<\/strong><\/td>\n		to expect, to hope<\/em><\/td>\nsugerir (ie, i)
\n<\/strong><\/td>\n		to suggest<\/em><\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\ninsistir (en)<\/strong><\/td>\n\u00a0to insist (on)<\/em><\/td>\nnecesitar <\/strong><\/td>\nto need<\/em><\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\npedir (i)
\n<\/strong><\/td>\n		to ask for, to request
\n<\/em><\/td>\n		aconsejar <\/strong><\/td>\nto advise<\/em><\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\nordenar<\/strong><\/td>\nto order, to command<\/em><\/td>\ndecir* (i)
\n<\/strong><\/td>\n		to tell (somebody to do something)*<\/em><\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\npermitir<\/strong><\/td>\n\u00a0to allow<\/em><\/td>\nprohibir <\/strong><\/td>\nto prohibit, to forbid
\n<\/em><\/td>\n		<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\ndesear<\/strong><\/td>\n\u00a0to wish<\/em><\/td>\npreferir (ie, i)<\/strong><\/td>\nto prefer<\/em><\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

*Careful: <\/strong>decir<\/em> can also mean “to say something” and when you are using it as a reporting verb (to report what someone said), the subjunctive mood wouldn’t be used because you are not trying to influence anyone’s behavior. Therefore, you would use the indicative mood.
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n

However, like the gustar<\/em>-type verbs, most of these verbs of influence can also be followed by an infinitive. An infinitive is used when the subject of the main clause is the same as the subject of the second (dependent) clause. In English, when the two subjects are different, a noun or a pronoun is included between the main verb and the infinitive. In Spanish we use que<\/em> + subjunctive, instead of the infinitive. Compare the structures in the two languages below (and, in particular, note how English always uses an infinitive “to travel”):<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
<\/td>\nMi hermano quiere viajar<\/strong><\/span> a Puerto Rico.<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\nMy brother wants to travel<\/strong><\/span> to Puerto Rico.<\/em><\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\nMi hermano quiere que {viajemos<\/strong><\/span> a Puerto Rico}.<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\nMy brother wants us<\/strong><\/span> to travel<\/strong><\/span> to Puerto Rico.<\/em><\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

 <\/p>\n

Besides these verbs, one can express influence using impersonal expressions like the following:<\/p>\n

Es necesario \/ importante \/ imperativo \/ imprescindible \/ vital<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
<\/td>\nEs necesario que {viajemos<\/strong><\/span> a Puerto Rico}.<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\nIt is necessary that we<\/strong>\u00a0travel<\/strong><\/span> to Puerto Rico.<\/em><\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\nEs importante que {viajemos<\/strong><\/span> a Puerto Rico}.<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\nIt is important for us<\/strong><\/span> to travel<\/strong><\/span> to Puerto Rico.<\/em><\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n
<\/h5>\n

PR\u00c1CTICA<\/h3>\n

Completa estas frases de manera l\u00f3gica con una expresi\u00f3n de influencia. No las repitas.<\/strong><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Los ind\u00edgenas chiapanecos le <\/span> al gobierno de M\u00e9xico que respete sus derechos<\/li>\n
  2. Los mexicanos <\/span> que las demandas de los zapatistas sean escuchadas.<\/li>\n
  3. <\/span> que todos los habitantes de un pa\u00eds tengan las mismas oportunidades.<\/li>\n
  4. Le <\/span> a los pol\u00edticos que dialoguen con los pueblos ind\u00edgenas.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

     <\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    Tomado y adaptado de Aprendo<\/em>\u00a0(Princeton University \u2014 Spanish and Portuguese Department)<\/h5>\n\n