📖LearnModule 11 · Lesson 9 of 30Proficient User · CEFR C1, first halfUnit 2 · El subjuntivo, dominado
Subjuntivo o indicativo — el sentido cambia
Module 11 of the free Spanish course (CEFR C1, first half), lesson 9 of 30: Some pairs change meaning with the mood. On this page: 9 words with their genders and respellings, the rule, a watch-out line, the conjugation table and the audio — the study notes behind the workbook's QR.
The words
Spanish
English
Say it
aunque
although
OWN-keh
no creo que venga
I do not think he is coming
noh KREH-oh keh BEHN-gah
con tal de que
provided that
kohn TAHL deh keh
hasta que
until
AHS-tah keh
antes de que
before (with a verb)
AHN-tehs deh keh
el sentido
the meaning
ehl sehn-TEE-doh
la diferencia
the difference
lah dee-feh-REHN-syah
escoger
to choose
ehs-koh-HEHR
quiere que yo busque otro
she wants me to look for another
KYEH-reh keh yoh BOOS-keh OH-troh
Respellings follow the course’s say-it key; the stressed syllable is in capitals. Print this lesson’s flashcards (PDF) — the words on the front, the English and respelling on the back.
La regla · The rule
Some pairs change meaning with the mood. Creo que viene (I think he is coming) but no creo que venga (I do not think he is). Busco un libro que PUEDA ayudarme — subjunctive, because the book may not exist; conozco un libro que PUEDE ayudarme — indicative, it is on the shelf.
Y también · And also
Aunque splits the same way: aunque ES caro, lo compro (a fact) against aunque SEA caro, lo compro (even if it is). Porque never takes the subjunctive; para que always does.
Ojo · Watch out
Some pairs change MEANING with the mood: busco a alguien que escoja bien (anyone who would) against conozco a alguien que escoge bien (a real person). And no porque + subjuntivo denies the cause: no porque sea tarde, sino porque estoy cansado.
buscar, presente de subjuntivo — the table
yo busque · tú busques · él/ella/usted busque · nosotros busquemos · ustedes busquen · ellos/ellas busquen
escoger, presente de subjuntivo — the table
yo escoja · tú escojas · él/ella/usted escoja · nosotros escojamos · ustedes escojan · ellos/ellas escojan
Do it now — on paper
Say all 9 words aloud twice from the respelling, then once from the Spanish spelling alone — begin with aunque.
Copy every word with its accents on paper; then cover the English column and write each meaning back from the Spanish.
Write out buscar, presente de subjuntivo and escoger, presente de subjuntivo in full from memory, every person, and check each form against the table above.
This free course is the reading half. The writing half — write-in lessons, daily practice pages with built-in review, self-checks and a full answer key — is the companion workbook series, The Spanish Ladder: one workbook per module, fifteen in all, released band by band with the Basic band (Modules 1–5) first.
Keep these words
Turn this lesson’s words into flashcards, then space your reviews — the two habits the research behind our study guides backs hardest.