【英文版西语语法】Expressing Wishes and Desires with the Subjunctive

 WEIRDO

 

Many of the verbs and phrases that require the subjunctive fit into the acronym WEIRDO: Wishes, Emotions, Impersonal expressions, Recommendations, Doubt/Denial, and Ojalá. In this article, we're going to take a look at wishes.

 

Wishes

 

Wishing, wanting, demanding, desiring, expecting, ordering, and preferring all fall into the category of wishes. Additionally, mentioning the nonexistence or indefiniteness of something that is desired falls into this category.

 

Wishing Verbs

 

The following verbs are commonly used to express a wish or desire and, when used as the verb in the main clause of a sentence, will indicate that the following verb in the dependent clause will be in the subjunctive.

 

Spanish English Spanish English

agradecer

 

to be grateful

insistir

 

to insist

no tener

 

to not have

buscar

 

to look for

mandar

 

to order

pedir

 

to request

desear

 

to wish

necesitar

 

to need

preferir

 

to prefer

esperar

 

to hope/to expect

no encontrar

 

to not find

querer

 

to want

exigir

 

to demand

no haber

 

there is/are not

Check out these examples. Note that they all use one of the above wishing verbs in conjunction with the word que.

 

Solo te pido que mantengas la calma.

I just ask that you retain your composure.

 

Esperamos que cocines bien.

We hope that you cook well.

 

El rey desea que cenes con él.

The king wishes you to dine with him.

 

Quiero salir con un hombre que me compre flores.

I want to date a guy who buys me flowers.