Spanish Subjunctive Unit: Over 20 Pages To Spice Up The Subjunctive

Table of Contents:

This unit is designed to provide a variety of activities to help students have fun while learning the subjunctive tense in Spanish. The unit includes:

Page 1: Table of Contents

Pages 2-4: Subjunctive Teaching Schedule

Pages 5-6: Formation of the Present Subjunctive

Page 7: Subjunctive and Indicative Triggers Sheet

Page 8: Sample Sentences to Demonstrate How Certain Expressions Can

Take Either the Subjunctive or the Indicative

Pages 9-11: Sentence Translation Worksheet and Answer Sheet, Golf Instructions

Pages 11-13: Golf Game Using Subjunctive Including Answers

Pages 14-16: Pictionary/Charades Subjunctive Review Game

Pages 17-18: Quiz #1: Formation/Answer Sheet

Pages 19-20: Quiz #2: Subjunctive and Indicative Triggers/Answer

Sheet

Pages 21-24: Quiz #3: Subjunctive Formation in Context/Answer Sheet

Pages 25-29: Comprehensive Subjunctive Test and Answer Sheet

Pages 30-31: Subjunctive Song with Fill-in-the-Blanks and Answer Key

Pages 32-33: Three Websites with Subjunctive Internet Activities

Temas y Tapas (Language Café)

Page 34: Class Debate, Newspaper Articles, Subjunctive Speaking Practice

Page 35: Subjunctive Dialogues, Subjunctive Letter Writing

Pages 36-39: Subjunctive Trigger Cards,

Page 39: Estoy Buscando . . . Game Instructions

Pages 40-43: Estoy Buscando . . . Game Cards

Pages 44-45: Other Products from The World Language Café

Page 46: Copyright, Notes for the Teacher

** If other teachers will be using this product, please have them purchase additional licenses for ? price at The World Language Café on Teacherspayteachers.com.

Subjunctive Teaching Schedule

1. Tell students that they will be learning a new verb tense called the subjunctive. Teach formation of regular verbs. Remind students that they have seen these forms before when they learned commands. Have students practice writing a few on their practice sheets (on the formation pages): bailar, beber, cantar, vivir. Ask for a few volunteers to write their answers on the board. Don’t tell them when you use the subjunctive yet – wait for them to get curious and ask. When they do ask, you can either give them the trigger sheet or skip to step 6 and introduce a few triggers to start. Just be sure to go back through steps 2-5 later on.

2. Remind students that some verbs have irregular “yo” forms. I call the ones ending in –go, the “go-go verbs” (salgo, vengo, tengo, hago, digo, pongo). Emphasize how they would sound funny without the “g”. Ex. vena, venas, tena, tenas. When I teach commands, I tell them that these “go-go” verbs need “gas” to run. That helps them remember the “tú” form and then they can form the other ones with the different endings. Next, show them a few of the other irregulars and the –CAR, -GAR, -ZAR’s. Then have them practice on their formation sheets.

querer = quiera, etc. conocer = conoczca, etc. hacer = haga, etc. ver = vea, etc.

explicar = explique, etc. pagar = pague, etc. cruzar = cruce, etc.

*Depending on the level of your students and whether this is the first time seeing subjunctive or if you are reviewing it again, you may wish to teach these ones as well. If you think that’s too much for your specific class, you can remove them from the formation sheet before passing it out.

seguir = sigo, etc. eligir = elija, etc. huir = huya, etc.

3. At the beginning of the year, I create a few sets of index cards with the commonly used verbs. Each set is in a different color marker, so I know which ones go together. Pull these out to practice the different verb tenses. For subjunctive, take out the AR, ER, non-stem-changing IR’s, and the ones with irregular yo’s listed above. Hold up a card and call on a student to say the subjunctive forms. You can divide the class into teams and make it a game. Have a student keep track of the score. Make sure that your students know these forms really well before moving on to the –ir’s and the irregulars.

4. Teach changes for stem-changers ending in –ir. Practice with examples on the board. I listed the most commonly used ones here.

Ex. o->ue = dormir, morir

Ex. e->ie = mentir, preferir, sentir, sugerir

**Explain how for e->i, the changes are in all forms.

Ex. pedir, seguir, repetir, reír, servir

5. Show the irregulars and again remind students that these should be familiar from the command forms. Practice the index cards again, but this time with all verbs. If you have made multiple sets of the verbs, give each group of 2-3 students a set to practice so they each get more repetitions. If you have one set, hold it up in front of the class and call on students randomly to answer. That way, they will all have to pay attention.

6. Introduce the expressions for hopes, desires, commands, and requests. The subject expresses what she would like to happen, but it may not necessarily happen (thus, the subjunctive).

Desires: esperar que, ojála que, querer que

Demands: exigir que, insistir en que

Requests, Preferences, Suggestions: pedir que, preferir que, recomendar que, sugerir que

Ex. Quiero que Paco me invite a Prom. (She would like that to happen, but it may not).

Ex. La mama exige que Rosa limpie su cuarto. (She would like Rosa to clean her room, but she may not).

Ask students to express their desires, recommendations, and suggestions for Spanish class or for the school.

7. Give one more example and then segway into the song, “Ojála que llueva café” and the activities that go along with it (see the Internet Activities section of this document).

Ex. Ojála que llueva café. (Oh, how I wish it would rain coffee, but it may not).

8. Teach the expressions for doubts and uncertainty.

Dudar que, no creer que, no estar convencido/a de que, no estar seguro/a que, no pensar que, puede ser que, quizá(s), tal vez

*The “s” is optional for quizás. Some countries use it and others don’t.

Ex. Dudo que el Presidente lleve ropa interior decorada con rayas y estrellas de la bandera estadounidense.

Ex. No estoy convencida de que el perro de Julio coma su tarea cada noche. (Use a student’s name who doesn’t turn in his/her homework often).

Ex. Puede ser que el director de la escuela tenga una jaula para estudiantes malos en su consultorio.

** The students love sample sentences that have their names in them or that are funny. Tailor them to your class, even on quizzes and tests. Teenagers love seeing their names, but just make sure that it is all positive.

Let students write a few sentences using the expressions to share them with the class.

9. Teach impersonal expressions and emotions (see the list on the trigger sheet).

Ex. Es una lástima que la cafetería no sirva torta de chocolate cada día.

Ex. La maestra teme que sus estudiantes pasen mensajes detrás de su espalda.

Ex. Es terrible que no sea un día de nieve hoy.

10. Teach vague or indefinite object or person. The object or person being referred to may or may not exist or you may or may not be able to find it or him.

Ex. Tengo un gato que no ara?a mi sofá.

Busco un gato que no ara?e mi sofá.

Ex. No hay nadie aquí que pueda ayudarte.

Conozco a alguien que puede ayudarte.

Ex. Vivo en un país donde no hay guerra.

Quiero vivir en un país donde no haya guerra.

* Play the “Estoy buscando . . .” game associated with this topic.

11. Teach indicative when there is certainty, beliefs or thoughts. Creer que, pensar que, estar seguro/a de que, estar convencido/a de que, no dudar que, es cierto que, es obvio que, es verdad que, es evidente que. Use student names to make it fun.

Ex. ___________ cree que tiene pelo fabuloso.

Ex. ___________ convencido de que los extraterrestres existen.

Ex. Es obvio que no va a llover café hoy.

Have students write sample sentences.

12. Teach expressions with subjunctive or indicative. See the handout. Aunque, cuando, en cuanto, hasta que, mientras (que), tan pronto como

Have students write sample sentences for each one in the subjunctive and the indicative.

Add in the quizzes, games, writing assignments, songs, and activities when they fit into your schedule to review the concepts. I have found that the more the students use the expressions through speaking and writing, the more it starts to come naturally. You will need to spend a good amount of time on this topic. If you go over it too quickly, the students will memorize it for the quiz or test, but not incorporate it into their permanent language skills. The goal is for them to use the expressions so much that they no longer have to think about it. The subjunctive should just sound right to them.

La formación del subjuntivo

I. Usa l a forma “yo” del verbo, quita el “o” y a?ade las terminaciones siguientes:

A. Verbos -ar = e, es, e, emos, éis, en

Ej. Hable, hables, hable, hablemos, habléis, hablen

B. Verbos –er, -ir = a, as, a, amos, áis, an

Ej. Coma, comas, coma, comamos, comáis, coman

**Cuidado con los verbos que tienen una forma irregular de “yo”

Ej. Conozca, conozcas, etc.

Haga, hagas, etc.

Salga, salgas, etc.

Vea, veas, etc.

Venga, vengas, etc.

Tenga, tengas, etc.

Siga, sigas, etc. (-guir -> g)

Huya, huyas, etc. (-uir -> y)

Elija, elijas, etc. (-gir, -ger -> j)

C. Los verbos que terminan en –car, -gar, y –zar tienen cambios para razones de prononciación

CAR = qu GAR = gu ZAR = c

Ej. tocar = toque, toques, toque, toquemos, toquéis, toquen

Ej. jugar (u->ue) = juegue, juegues, juegue, juguemos, juguéis, jueguen

Ej. comenzar (e->ie) = comience, comiences, comience, comencemos, comencéis, comiencen

D . Verbos –ir que tienen cambios de ort ografía cambian en las formas

nosotros y vosotros

Ej. Verbos o -> ue cambian o -> u = durmamos, durmáis

Verbos e -> ie cambian e -> i = mintamos, mintáis

Ej. dormir

duerma durmamos

duermas durmáis

duerma duerman

*Verbos e -> i cambian e -> i = in all forms

pida pidamos

pidas pidáis

pida pidan

E . Ha y seis verbos irregulares:

Dar: dé, des, dé, demos, deis, den

Estar: esté, estés, esté, estemos, estéis, estén

Haber: haya, hayas, haya, hayamos, hayáis, hayan

Ir: vaya, vayas, vaya, vayamos, vayáis, vayan

Saber: sepa, sepas, sepa, sepamos, sepáis, sepan

Ser: sea, seas, sea, seamos, seáis, sean

Práctica (AR, ER, IR) :

bailar beber cantar vivir

( YO IRREGULAR ) :

querer hacer conocer ver

(CAR, GAR, ZAR) :

e xplicar p agar c ruzar

(IR)

dormir sentir repetir

( I RREGULARES)

dar estar ser saber ir haber

Expresiones con el subjuntivo

Desires

Esperar que – to hope that

Ojalá que – Oh, how I wish that

Querer que (e->ie) – to want

Demands

Exigir que – to demand that

Insistir en que – to insist on

Requests, Preferences, Suggestions

Pedir que (e->i) – to request, ask

Preferir que (e->ie) – to prefer that

Sugerir que (e->ie) – to suggest that

Recomendar (e ->ie) que- to recommend

Doubt, Uncertainty

Dudar que – to doubt that

No creer que – to not believe that

No estar convencido/a de que –

to not be convinced that

No estar seguro/a de que –

to not be sure that

No pensar que (e->ie) – to not think that

Puede ser que – It may be that

Quizá(s) – Maybe

Tal vez – perhaps

Impersonal Opinions

Es . . . que:

fantástico

increíble

importante

imposible

improbable

necesario

ridículo

terrible

posible

probable

preferible

Es una lástima que – It’s a shame that

Es mejor que – It’s better that

Emotions

Estar feliz, triste, etc. que -

to be happy, sad, etc. that

Temer que – to fear that

Tengo miedo de que – I’m afraid that

Incomplete, Uncertain Actions

Después de que – after

A menos que – unless

Antes de que – before

Con tal de que – provided that

En caso de que – in case

Para que – so that, in order to

Sin que - without

Vague or Indefinite Object or Person ex. Busco una secretaria que sepa hablar cinco lenguas.

(I'm looking for one, but may not find one).

ex. Paco quiere una esposa que gane mucho dinero. (but he may not find one)

ex. No conozco a nadie que sepa hablar japonés. (doesn't exist for me)

Expresiones con el indicativo

Creer que – to believe that

Pensar que (e->ie) – to think that

Estar seguro/a de que – to be sure that

Estar convencido/a de que –

To be convinced that

No dudar que – to not doubt that

Es cierto que - It's certain that

Es obvio que - It's obvious that

Es verdad que - It's true that

Es evidente que - It's evident that

Expresiones con el subjuntivo o el indicativo

Aunque – even if + subj.

Aunque – even though + indic.

Cuando – when

En cuanto - as soon as

Hasta que – until

Mientras (que) – while

Tan pronto como – as soon as

Expres s ions Which Take Either Subjunctive or Indicative

I - Aunque practica cada día, Paco nunca ganará American Idol.

Even though he practices every day, Paco will never win American Idol.

S - Aunque practique cada día, Paco nunca ganará American Idol.

Even if he practiced every day (from now on), Paco will never win American Idol.

I - Cuando vas a la escuela, tomas el autobús.

When you go to school, you take the bus.

I - Cuando tienes tiempo, juegas con tus amigos.

When you have time, you play with your friends.

S - Cuando Olivia sea presidenta de los Estados Unidos, tendrá una familia de siete hijos.

When (and if) Olivia is President of the U.S., she will have a family with seven kids.

S - Cuando tengas tiempo, llámame.

When (ever) you have time, call me. (not a certainty that you will have time)

I - Cerraron las puertas en cuanto nos vieron.

They closed the doors as soon as they saw us.

S - Cerrarán las puertas en cuanto nos vean.

They will close the doors as soon as they see us.

I - Tan pronto como me despierto, me levanto y me cepillo los dientes.

As soon as I wake up, I get up and brush my teeth.

S - Tan pronto como coma, me sentiré mejor.

As soon as I (will) eat, I will feel better.

I – Esperé hasta que llegaron.

I waited until they arrived.

S - Vamos a jugar fútbol hasta que empiece a llover.