Transform sentences from indicative to subjunctive
The subjunctive is one of the most important — and most misunderstood — aspects of Spanish grammar. In this exercise, you will transform 16 sentences from the present indicative to the present subjunctive. This repetition-based approach is one of the most effective ways to internalize how the subjunctive works in real, everyday contexts.
The key to the subjunctive is learning to recognize the trigger expressions: quiero que…, espero que…, es importante que… Once you spot these phrases, you know a subjunctive verb follows. This exercise trains that pattern through meaningful repetition.
This exercise is ideal for B1 and B2 students who already know the present tense and are ready to take the next step.
How does the exercise work?
You will see a sentence in indicative (highlighted in blue) and need to complete the equivalent sentence with the verb in the present subjunctive. Click the letter tiles or type directly with your keyboard. If you need help, press the HELP button to reveal the answer.
How to form the Spanish present subjunctive
For regular verbs, the rule is simple: change the final vowel. Verbs ending in -ar take -e endings, and verbs ending in -er or -ir take -a endings.
| Persona | Verbos en -AR (hablar) |
Verbos en -ER / -IR (comer) |
|---|---|---|
| yo | hable | coma |
| tú | hables | comas |
| él / ella | hable | coma |
| nosotros | hablemos | comamos |
| vosotros | habléis | comáis |
| ellos | hablen | coman |
Notice the pattern in this exercise: compra → compres, gasta → gaste, abre → abras, escucha → escuches.
Expressions that trigger the subjunctive
All of these expressions are always followed by que + subjunctive:
- ✓ Te pido que… (I’m asking you to…) — Te pido que compres el pan.
- ✓ Quiero que… (I want you to…) — Quiero que escuches la canción.
- ✓ Espero que… (I hope that…) — Espero que estés bien.
- ✓ Es importante que… (It’s important that…) — Es importante que estudiemos español.
- ✓ Es necesario que… (It’s necessary that…) — Es necesario que él termine el trabajo.
- ✓ Es mejor que… (It’s better that…) — Es mejor que alquilemos un coche.
- ✓ Me gusta que… (I like that…) — Me gusta que Pedro me llame todos los días.
- ✓ Me parece bien que… (I think it’s great that…) — Me parece muy bien que tu hijo ahorre dinero.
💡 Key rule: The subjunctive always appears in the second part of the sentence, after que. The first part (the trigger expression) tells you that the subjunctive is coming.
Keep practicing
✏️ You might also like…
Subjunctive in Spanish for beginners
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