Spanish chooses the mood according to how the speaker positions themselves towards the information. Assert it as real → indicative. Question, deny or colour it → subjunctive.
Verbs of thinking and perceiving take the indicative when affirmative, and the subjunctive when negated — because negating them removes the speaker's commitment to the fact.
| Indicative | Subjunctive |
|---|---|
| Creo que viene. | No creo que venga. |
| Pienso que tiene razón. | No pienso que tenga razón. |
| Es verdad que lo sabe. | No es verdad que lo sepa. |
| Está claro que funciona. | No está claro que funcione. |
| Me parece que es tarde. | No me parece que sea tarde. |
These assert a fact, so the speaker is committed to it: es verdad que, es evidente que, es seguro que, está claro que, es cierto que, saber que, ver que — all in the affirmative.
These introduce doubt, value or influence, so they never assert: es posible que, es probable que, puede que, es necesario que, es importante que, es una pena que, ojalá, dudar que, querer que, esperar que — affirmative or negative, it makes no difference.
The commitment test. Ask: am I presenting this as a fact I stand behind? If yes, indicative. If I'm hedging, doubting, wishing or judging it, subjunctive. Creo que is actually an assertion in Spanish — it commits you — which is why it keeps the indicative even though English "I think" feels tentative.
In a question, ¿Crees que…? normally keeps the indicative, because you're asking the other person to confirm a fact. Adding a negative tips it towards the subjunctive.
Aunque works the same way. With a known fact it takes the indicative — Aunque es caro, lo compro (it is expensive, and I know it). With a hypothesis it takes the subjunctive — Aunque sea caro, lo compro (even if it turns out to be expensive).
1.Creo que ___ (venir, él) mañana.
2.No creo que ___ (venir, él) mañana.
3.Es posible que ___ (llegar, ella) tarde.
4.Es evidente que ___ (estar, él) cansado.
5.Which expression ALWAYS takes the subjunctive?
6.No es verdad que él ___ (saber) la respuesta.
7.Puede que no lo ___ (saber, ellos) todavía.
8.Sé que ___ (vivir, tú) en Madrid.
9.Choose the correct sentence:
10.Es una pena que no ___ (poder, tú) venir.
11."Aunque sea caro, lo compro" implies:
12.Está claro que esto ___ (funcionar).
Book a class with Ángel and practise giving opinions — agreeing and disagreeing is where this contrast lives.