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Verbs Of Emotion - The Use Of The Present Subjunctive In Noun Clauses

The subjunctive mood is used to express the speaker’s perception of reality. One way that it is used is to
communicate emotions and feelings. It reflects the speaker’s attitude, bias, or reaction toward someone or
something. The subjunctive mood is used in subjective situations whereas the indicative mood is used in objective
situations.
Verbs of emotion are used in sentences with the present tense of the subjunctive mood. This kind of sentence has
an independent clause and a dependent noun clause. A dependent noun clause is a group of words that function as
the subject or the object of the verb in the independent clause. Dependent noun clauses in Spanish are introduced by
the conjunction que.
There are 2 differences between the independent and dependent clauses. The first difference is that the subject in
the independent clause is different from the subject in the dependent clause. The second difference is that the
independent clause has a verb in the indicative mood while the dependent clause has a verb in the subjunctive mood.
Tense refers to the time when an action takes place. The present tense of the subjunctive indicates an action that is
occurs at the same time as the action in the independent clause. It also indicates an action that occurs in the future.

Me alegro de que Rebeca y Juan estén comprometidos.

(I’m glad that Rebeca and Juan are engaged.)

Independent Clause Dependent Noun Clause

Indicative Mood Subjunctive Mood
Present Tense Present tense
Subject – I que Subject – Rebeca and Juan

Me alegro de Rebeca y Juan estén comprometidos.

Me alegro de que Rebeca y Juan se casen mañana.

(I’m glad that Rebeca and Juan are getting married tomorrow.)

Independent Clause Dependent Noun Clause

Indicative Mood Subjunctive Mood
Present Tense Present Tense Indicates Future Time
Subject – I que Subject – Rebeca and Juan

Me alegro de Rebeca y Juan se casen mañana.

Here is a list of some verbs that express emotion.

sentir – to feel sorry Rita siente que María no esté aquí. Rita is sorry that María is not here.
extrañar – to puzzle, to surprise, to be ¿No te extraña que Roberto no llame? Isn’t it strange that Roberto doesn’t
strange call?
tener miedo de – to be afraid ¿Tienes miedo de que el médico te dé Are you afraid that the doctor will give
una inyección? you an injection?
sorprenderse de - to be surprised El director se sorprende de que los The director is surprised that the
actores no sepan bailar. actors can’t dance.

Free handout from http://sites.google.com/site/englishspanishhelpfulhandouts. Written by S. Watson.

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English-Spanish Helpful Handouts Page 2 of 4

Verbs Of Emotion - The Use Of The Present Subjunctive In Noun Clauses

Here are some more verbs that express emotion.
estar contento – to be estar felíz – to be happy estar triste – to be sad aborrece – to hate sentirse + adjective – to
happy/pleased feel

Gustar Type Verbs

Many verbs of emotion are conjugated in the same way that gustar is conjugated. These verbs use the third person
with an indirect object pronoun.

Me preocupa que ella esté enferma.

(It worries me that she is sick.)

Les preocupa que ella esté enferma.

(It worries them that she is sick.)

Here is a list of verbs that are conjugated like the verb gustar.
agradar – to please emocionar – to excite, thrill importar – to concern molestar – to bother
aguantar – to put up with encantar – to delight indignar – to provoke preocupar - to worry
asustar – to frighten fastidiar – to annoy irritar – to irritate satisfacer – to satisfy
doler – to ache ilusionar – to fascinate lamentar – to regret sorprender - to surprise

Notice the difference between pronominal and verbs and verbs that use indirect object pronouns in the independent
clause.

Pronominal Verb – sorprenderse de – to be surprised

This verb is conjugated like any pronominal verb.

El director se sorprende de que los actores no sepan bailar.

(The director is surprised that the actors can’t dance.)

Transitive Verb – Sorprender – to surprise

This verb is conjugated like gustar. It uses indirect object pronouns.

Al director le sorprende que los actores no sepan bailar.

(It surprises the director that the actors can’t dance.)

Temer And Esperar

Temer means to fear, but it also means to suspect. Esperar means to hope, but it also means to expect. When temer
and esperar mean to suspect and to expect, the indicative is often used in the dependent clause in affirmative
sentences. When the sentence is negative, the subjunctive is used.

Free handout from http://sites.google.com/site/englishspanishhelpfulhandouts. Written by S. Watson.

Photos: www.morguefile.com and Michelle Meiklejohn/FreeDigitalPhotos.net.
English-Spanish Helpful Handouts Page 3 of 4

Verbs Of Emotion - The Use Of The Present Subjunctive In Noun Clauses

Temo que la farmacia no está abierta a esta hora.
(I suspect that the pharmacy is not open at this hour.)

Espero que la farmacia está cerrada a este hora.

(I expect the pharmacy to be closed at this hour.)

Impersonal Expressions
Impersonal expressions of emotion are followed by the subjunctive in the dependent clause.

Es una desgracia que nuestro equipo favorito pierda siempre.

(It’s disgraceful that our favorite team always loses.)

Here is a list of some impersonal expressions.

Es agradable – It’s nice
Es el colmo – It’s
unbelievable
Es estupendo – It’s
wonderful
Es deplorable – It’s Es maravilloso – It’s Es terrible – It’s terrible
unfortunate marvelous
Es increíble – It’s incredible Es malo – It’s bad Es una suerte – It’s lucky
Es una lástima – It’s a Es sorprendente – It’s Es vergonzoso – It’s
shame surprising shameful

Practice.
Unscramble the sentences. The answers are on page 4.
Example:
/estar/triste/nosotros/Rebeca/estoy/no/con/pueda/que Estoy triste que Rebeca no pueda estar con nosotros.

1. /leal/tan/seas/estupendo/que/es/ ___________________________________________________________________

2. /me/que/no/lleguen/extraña/ _______________________________________________________________________

3. /es/terrible/haya/guerra/que/ ______________________________________________________________________

4. /se/que/no/Marta/queja/escuches/la/ ________________________________________________________________

5. /a/siento/comer/no/te/mucho/que/quedar/puedas _________________________________________________

6. /que/las/calles/vivan/en/entristece/pobres/le/los/ ______________________________________________________

7. /de/a/haga/tarea/los/padres/les/Paul/no/que/irrita/su __________________________________________________

8. /toque/les/emociona/su/que/favorito/músico/ _________________________________________________________

9. /Elena/temo/fiesta/no/a/la/vaya/que/ ________________________________________________________________

Free handout from http://sites.google.com/site/englishspanishhelpfulhandouts. Written by S. Watson.

Photos: www.morguefile.com and Michelle Meiklejohn/FreeDigitalPhotos.net.
English-Spanish Helpful Handouts Page 4 of 4

Verbs Of Emotion - The Use Of The Present Subjunctive In Noun Clauses

10. /mis/padres/se/preocupa/me/que/separen ___________________________________________________________

11. /nueva/que/casa/una/tenga/alegra/mi/a/le/padre/ ___________________________________________________

12. /chicas/que/las/otras/de/me/puedan/venir/alegro _____________________________________________________

13. /obligada/irte/pronto/tan/que/siento/a/estés _________________________________________________________

14. /que/estén/familia/bien/su/espero/todos/en _________________________________________________________

15. /que/la/boda/chicas/se/venir/las/a/alegra/de/puedan/ ________________________________________________

16. /no/que/enferme/espero/se _______________________________________________________________________

17. /reciba/carta/no/la/temo/que/ _____________________________________________________________________

18. /muy /contento/a/mis/vengan/estoy/verme/que/amigos _______________________________________________

19. /que/alegro/me/ustedes/Madrid/visiten/de _____________________________________________________________

20. /fiesta/ maravilloso/sea/que/hoy/es/ ___________________________________________________________________

Las Respuestas – The Answers

1. Es estupendo que seas tan leal.
2. Me extraña que no lleguen.
3. Es terrible que haya guerra.
4. Marta se queja que no la escuchas.
5. Siento mucho que no te puedas quedar a comer.
6 . Le entristece que los pobres vivan en las calles.
7. A los padres de Paul les irrita que no haga su tarea.
8. Les emociona que su músico favorito toque.
9. Temo que Elena no vaya a la fiesta.
10. Me preocupa que mis padres se separen.
11. A mi padre le alegra que tenga una casa nueva.
12. Me alegro de que las otras chicas puedan venir.
13. Siento que estés obligada a irte tan pronto.
14. Espero que todos en su familia estén bien.
15. Se alegra de que las chicas puedan venir al la boda.
16. Espero que no se enferme.
17. Temo que no reciba la carta.
18. Estoy muy contento que mis amigos vengan a verme.
19. Me alegro de que ustedes visiten Madrid.
20. Es maravilloso que sea fiesta hoy.

Free handout from http://sites.google.com/site/englishspanishhelpfulhandouts. Written by S. Watson.

Photos: www.morguefile.com and Michelle Meiklejohn/FreeDigitalPhotos.net.