Subjunctive vs indicative
Facts and beliefs take the indicative; doubt, denial, wishes and emotions take the subjunctive: creo que es verdad but no creo que sea verdad.
The rule at a glance
facts and belief = indicative · doubt, wishes, emotions = subjunctive
Negating a belief switches the mood
Belief: indicative
creo que es
I think it is
Creo que es verdad.
I think it's true.
Doubt: subjunctive
no creo que sea
I don't think it is
No creo que sea verdad.
I don't think it's true.
Knowledge: indicative
sé que tiene
I know he has
Sé que tiene razón.
I know he's right.
Wishes: subjunctive
espero que estés
I hope you are
Espero que estés bien.
I hope you are well.
Which mood?
Choosing between the subjunctive and the indicative is one of the hardest parts of advanced Spanish, and a good starting point is one idea: are you stating something as true? The same verb, creer, changes mood depending on whether it's affirmative (you state what you believe) or negative (you doubt it), and many verbs and expressions follow this pattern.
How negation changes the mood
| Affirmative (indicative) | Negative (subjunctive) |
|---|---|
| Creo que es bueno I think it's good | No creo que sea bueno I don't think it's good |
| Pienso que viene I think he's coming | No pienso que venga I don't think he's coming |
| Es cierto que llueve It's true it's raining | No es cierto que llueva It's not true it's raining |
| Es verdad que trabaja mucho It's true he works a lot | No es verdad que trabaje mucho It's not true he works a lot |
| Es obvio que sabe la respuesta It's obvious he knows the answer | No es obvio que sepa la respuesta It's not obvious he knows the answer |
Expressions that take one mood
Indicative (when affirmative)
saber que (to know that)
ver que (to see that)
oír que (to hear that)
notar que (to notice that)
es obvio que (it's obvious that)
es evidente que (it's evident that)
Sé que tiene razón.
I know he's right.
Always subjunctive
querer que (to want that)
esperar que (to hope that)
es posible que (it's possible that)
es importante que (it's important that)
Quiero que vengas.
I want you to come.
Subjunctive (when affirmative)
dudar que (to doubt that)
negar que (to deny that)
Negated, they often take the indicative: No dudo que tiene razón (I don't doubt he's right)
Dudo que venga.
I doubt he'll come.
The forms are on the present subjunctive page; every trigger is in the list of 120+ subjunctive triggers, with fixed phrases in subjunctive trigger phrases.
When to use each
1. Facts, belief and perception: indicative
Stating a fact you know, saying what you believe or think (creo que, pienso que), or using perception verbs (ver, oír).
Certainty: Sé que es verdad. I know it's true.
Fact: Es cierto que viene. It's true he's coming.
Belief: Creo que María habla español. I think María speaks Spanish.
Perception: Veo que estás cansado. I see that you're tired.
2. Doubt, denial and negated certainty: subjunctive
Expressing doubt or denial, or negating a certainty verb.
Doubt: Dudo que sea verdad. I doubt it's true.
Denial: No es cierto que venga. It's not true he's coming.
Negative thinking: No creo que María hable español. I don't think María speaks Spanish.
Possibility: Es posible que llueva mañana. It's possible it will rain tomorrow.
3. Wishes and emotions: subjunctive
With wishes and requests, que + subjunctive is for someone else's action; for your own, use the infinitive. That is the usual pattern, not a rule for every trigger: No creo que pueda ir (I don't think I can go) has one subject, esperar sometimes takes que + subjunctive for your own action (Espero que pueda ir, though Espero poder ir is more usual), and cuando always takes a conjugated verb (Te llamo cuando llegue).
Wish: Espero que estés bien. I hope you are well.
Desire: Quiero que Juan trabaje aquí. I want Juan to work here.
Your own action: infinitive: Quiero comer. I want to eat (I want, I eat).
Someone else's: subjunctive: Quiero que comas. I want you to eat (I want, you eat).
4. Cuando: indicative for habits, subjunctive for the future
Habitual: indicative: Cuando voy a España... Whenever I go to Spain...
Future: subjunctive: Cuando vaya a España... When I go to Spain (future)...
Common mistakes
Not this (incorrect): Creo que sea verdad
But this (correct): Creo que es verdad. Affirmative "creo que" states what you believe, so it takes the indicative (it doesn't need to be certain).
For the neutral meaning "I want to go"
Not this (incorrect): Quiero que yo vaya
But this (correct): Quiero ir – I want to go. For your own wish, the infinitive is the natural choice. Que + subjunctive only stresses who: Quiero que vaya yo, no tú.
Not this (incorrect): Espero que vienes
But this (correct): Espero que vengas. "Esperar que" as a hope or wish takes the subjunctive.
Quick check
8 questions1. Complete: Creo que Juan _____ (tener) razón.
Affirmative 'creo que' states a belief, so use the indicative: 'tiene'.
2. Complete: No creo que María _____ (saber) la verdad.
Negative 'no creo que' expresses doubt, requiring subjunctive: 'sepa'.
3. Which is correct?
'Saber que' always uses indicative because it expresses definite knowledge.
4. Complete: Dudo que _____ (llover) mañana.
Affirmative 'dudar que' requires the subjunctive: 'llueva'.
5. Complete: Es cierto que _____ (estar) cansado.
'Es cierto que' states a fact, requiring indicative: 'estoy'.
6. Complete: No es verdad que yo _____ (mentir).
'No es verdad que' = denial/uncertainty = subjunctive. Use 'mienta'.
7. Complete: Espero que tú _____ (venir) a la fiesta.
'Esperar que' expresses a wish/hope, so it takes the subjunctive: 'vengas'.
8. Complete: Pienso que _____ (ser) una buena idea.
Affirmative 'pienso que' states an opinion or belief, so use the indicative: 'es'.
Indicative or subjunctive? Choose the right form.
Going further
Tal vez and quizás, pensar in questions, more examples
Tal vez and quizás: both moods work
The subjunctive emphasises more doubt; both are grammatically correct.
More certain: Tal vez viene. Maybe he's coming.
Less certain: Tal vez venga. Maybe he'll come.
Pensar in questions: the mood shows your expectation
Expecting "yes": ¿Piensas que viene? Do you think he's coming?
Uncertain / doubting (mainly Latin America; in Spain usually ¿Piensas que vendrá?): ¿Piensas que venga? Do you think he'll come?
More examples
Knowledge: Sé que Juan trabaja aquí. I know Juan works here.
Fact: Es cierto que llueve mucho en Galicia. It's true that it rains a lot in Galicia.
Affirmative thinking: Creo que habla español. I think he speaks Spanish.
Negative thinking: No creo que hable español. I don't think he speaks Spanish.
Desire: Quiero que vengas. I want you to come.
For the past, the same rules apply with the imperfect subjunctive; for when it can replace the conditional, see imperfect subjunctive vs conditional.