Talking about the Present and Future: Irregular Verbs in the Present Subjunctive

Subjunctive verbs have their own conjugation pattern, but sometimes there are exceptions to the spelling pattern.

These change are made for one reason -- to keep the sound of the infinitive verb:

  • Pagar in the present subjunctive becomes pague. The g is followed by u in order to preserve the "hard" g sound before the e.

Here are more examples of the same kind of orthographic (spelling) changes:

  • eligir -->  elija
    fingir -->  finja
    buscar -->  busque
    indicar -->  indique
    comenzar -->  comience

There are a few verbs that are completely irregular. These forms must be memorised. The verbs and the complete present subjunctive conjugations are:

DAR --
to give
ESTAR --
to be
HABER --
to have (auxiliary verb)
yoestéhaya
desestéshayas
él/ella, Ud.estéhaya
nosotros/nosotras      demos      estemos      hayamos   
vosotros/vosotrasdeisestéishayáis
ellos/ellas, Uds.denesténhayan


SABER --
to know     
SER --
to be
IR --
to go
yosepaseavaya
sepasseasvayas
él/ella, Ud.sepaseavaya
nosotros/nosotras      sepamos      seamos      vayamos   
vosotros/vosotrassepáisseáisvayáis
ellos/ellas, Uds.sepanseanvayan
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