Tense comparison

hablar de: Present Indicative vs Present Subjunctive

The present indicative states facts; the present subjunctive expresses doubt, desire, emotion, or uncertainty — typically in a subordinate clause after "que".

-ar verb Full conjugation →

Present Indicative

Guide →

Use the present indicative to state facts, describe current states, and talk about habitual actions. It is the default tense for most present-tense statements.

Signal words: sé quees verdad queestá claro queveo quecreo que (affirmative)
Pronoun Present Indicative
yo hablo de
tú hablas de
él/ella/Ud. habla de
nosotros hablamos de
vosotros habláis de
ellos/ellas/Uds. hablan de

Present Subjunctive

Guide →

Use the present subjunctive after verbs of wanting, doubting, fearing, recommending, and emotional reactions, especially when the subject of the main clause differs from the subordinate clause.

Signal words: quiero queespero queojaláes importante quedudo queno creo queme alegra quecuando (future)para que
Pronoun Present Subjunctive
yo hable de
tú hables de
él/ella/Ud. hable de
nosotros hablemos de
vosotros habléis de
ellos/ellas/Uds. hablen de
Key contrast

"Creo que habla bien" (indicative — stating a belief as fact) vs "No creo que hable bien" (subjunctive — expressing doubt). Negation of belief triggers the subjunctive.

Present Indicative vs Present Subjunctive: common questions

What triggers the subjunctive in Spanish?

The subjunctive is triggered by WEIRDO: Wishes, Emotion, Impersonal expressions, Requests/Recommendations, Doubt/Denial, and Ojalá. It nearly always appears in a "que" subordinate clause with a different subject.

Is "creer que" followed by indicative or subjunctive?

Affirmative "creer que" takes the indicative ("Creo que es verdad"). Negative "no creer que" takes the subjunctive ("No creo que sea verdad") because it expresses doubt.

Do present subjunctive forms look like anything else I know?

Yes — -ar verbs in the present subjunctive use -er endings, and -er/-ir verbs use -ar endings. Yo/él/ella forms are identical, which can cause confusion in context.

Other tense comparisons for hablar de

Practise both tenses with hablar de using spaced repetition.

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