Hopes, wishes and desires are some of the most natural reasons to use the Spanish subjunctive. When you want something to happen but it is not certain, Spanish speakers often use verbs like esperar, desear, querer or expressions like ojalá followed by the subjunctive.

Why the subjunctive for hopes and wishes?

The subjunctive signals uncertainty, desire or subjective feelings. When you say “I hope that…” you are expressing a wish about a situation that may or may not happen. In Spanish that mood is usually expressed with the present subjunctive after verbs and expressions of hoping, wanting and wishing.

Common patterns

• Esperar que + subjunctive — Espero que vaya bien.
• Querer / Desear / Preferir que + subjunctive — Quiero que vengas mañana.
• Ojalá + subjunctive — Ojalá haya paz.

Examples with translations

Below are practical sentences you can use. Each Spanish sentence uses the subjunctive when appropriate, with an English translation.

• Espero que haya paz en el mundo. — I hope there is peace in the world.
• Espero que no haya guerra. — I hope there is no war.
• Espero que se levanten las restricciones de confinamiento. — I hope the lockdown restrictions are lifted.
• Espero que pueda viajar. — I hope I can travel.
• Espero que la pandemia termine. — I hope the pandemic ends.
• Espero que mis estudiantes tengan un buen año. — I hope my students have a good year.
• Espero que pueda ser más activo físicamente. — I hope I can be more physically active.
• Espero que mi familia esté sana. — I hope my family is healthy.
• Espero que yo esté sano/a. — I hope I am healthy.
• Espero que aprenda más a poner las cosas en orden. — I hope I learn more about putting things in order.
• Espero que este año sea inolvidable para el mundo en el futuro. — I hope this year ends up being unforgettable for the world.
• Espero que el mundo viva en paz. — I hope the world lives in peace.
• Espero que el medio ambiente esté seguro y que no haya contaminación. — I hope the environment is safe and there is no pollution.
• Quiero que mis estudiantes experimenten muchas cosas interesantes en la vida. — I want my students to experience many interesting things in life.
• Quiero que hablen bien español. — I want them to speak Spanish well.
• Quiero que tengan un buen futuro. — I want them to have good futures.
• Quiero que viajen mucho. — I want them to travel a lot.
• Quiero que conozcan a muchas personas de muchas culturas. — I want them to meet many people from many cultures.
• Quiero que vivan vidas muy felices. — I want them to live very happy lives.

How to form the present subjunctive (quick guide)

Form the present subjunctive from the first person singular (yo) of the present indicative:

1. Take the yo form: hablar — yo hablo.
2. Drop the final -o: habl-.
3. Add the opposite endings:
   • -ar verbs: e, es, e, emos, éis, en → hablar: hable, hables, hable, hablemos, habléis, hablen.
   • -er and -ir verbs: a, as, a, amos, áis, an → comer: coma, comas, coma, comamos, comáis, coman. vivir: viva, vivas, viva, vivamos, viváis, vivan.

Watch for common irregulars in the subjunctive. Some frequent ones:

• ser → sea, seas, sea, seamos, seáis, sean
• estar → esté, estés, esté, estemos, estéis, estén
• haber → haya (used impersonal: haya paz)
• ir → vaya, vayas, vaya, vayamos, vayáis, vayan
• saber → sepa, sepas, sepa, sepamos, sepáis, sepan
• dar → dé, des, dé, demos, deis, den

Useful verbs and expressions that trigger the subjunctive

• Esperar que — to hope that
• Desear que — to wish that
• Querer que — to want that
• Preferir que — to prefer that
• Necesitar que — to need that
• Ojalá — I hope / I wish (often without que)

Practice tasks

Complete these exercises to practise the subjunctive in hopes and wishes. Try each one before checking the answers.

Exercise 1 — Translate into Spanish using the subjunctive

1. I hope there is no more pollution.
2. I hope my students speak Spanish well.
3. I want them to travel a lot.
4. I hope I can be more physically active.
5. Ojalá there is peace in the world.

Exercise 2 — Fill in the blanks with the correct present subjunctive form

1. Espero que mi familia ______ (estar) sana.
2. Quiero que mis estudiantes ______ (tener) un buen año.
3. Espero que la pandemia ______ (terminar) pronto.
4. Espero que no ______ (haber) guerra.
5. Quiero que ellos ______ (conocer) muchas culturas.

Exercise 3 — Create

Write three hopes for yourself and three wishes for a friend. Use verbs like esperar, desear or querer and include que plus the subjunctive.

Answer key

Exercise 1 — Translations

1. Espero que no haya más contaminación.
2. Espero que mis estudiantes hablen bien español.
3. Quiero que viajen mucho.
4. Espero que pueda ser más activo físicamente. (or Espero poder ser más activo/a físicamente.)
5. Ojalá haya paz en el mundo.

Exercise 2 — Fill in the blanks

1. esté
2. tengan
3. termine
4. haya
5. conozcan

Notes on Exercise 3

There are many correct answers. Check that each sentence uses a verb of wishing or wanting and that the clause after que contains a subjunctive verb that agrees with the subject.

Practice regularly. Short, daily sentences expressing your hopes help build instinctive use of the subjunctive.

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