Until now every subjunctive has followed something: a verb of wishing, a connector, a que. In this lesson the subjunctive appears in a main clause, where nothing forces it — which means choosing it becomes meaningful in itself.
With quizá(s), tal vez, posiblemente, probablemente, seguramente, both moods are grammatical. The subjunctive signals more doubt; the indicative signals more confidence.
| Sentence | How sure you sound |
|---|---|
| Quizá viene mañana. | fairly likely |
| Quizá venga mañana. | genuinely uncertain |
| Probablemente llega tarde. | you expect it |
| Probablemente llegue tarde. | you're hedging |
| A lo mejor viene. | always indicative |
| Igual viene. | always indicative, colloquial |
Two exceptions worth memorising: a lo mejor and igual (in its "maybe" sense) never take the subjunctive, despite meaning exactly the same as quizá. A lo mejor venga ✗ — it has to be a lo mejor viene.
Position matters. The adverb must come before the verb for the subjunctive to be possible. Quizá venga ✓ but Viene quizá — once the adverb follows, only the indicative works.
From the Arabic law šā’ allāh, "if God wills". It always takes the subjunctive, and the tense you pick sets how possible the wish is.
| Form | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Ojalá venga. | I hope he comes — still possible |
| Ojalá viniera. | I wish he'd come — unlikely |
| Ojalá haya venido. | I hope he has come |
| Ojalá hubiera venido. | I wish he had come — too late |
A bare que plus subjunctive expresses a wish or an indirect order. The main verb is simply left unsaid.
Ni que plus the imperfect or pluperfect subjunctive rejects something as absurd. It's heavily used in speech and almost never taught.
1.Quizá ___ (venir, él) mañana, pero lo dudo mucho.
2.Which expression NEVER takes the subjunctive?
3.A lo mejor ___ (venir, él) esta tarde.
4.¡Que ___ (tener, tú) un buen día!
5.What does "Ojalá viniera" express?
6.¡Ni que ___ (ser, yo) millonario!
7.Que lo ___ (hacer) él, yo no pienso ayudar.
8.Which sounds MORE certain?
9.Que yo ___ (saber), todavía no ha llegado.
10.Ojalá ___ (estudiar, yo) más cuando tuve la oportunidad.
11.Tal vez ___ (tener, tú) razón, no lo había pensado.
12.For the subjunctive to be possible, the adverb of doubt must come:
Book a class with Ángel and practise hedging and wishing out loud — this is where tone and grammar meet.