Impersonal expressions with the subjunctive, and the ones that keep the indicative
Can give advice and evaluate situations using impersonal expressions with the subjunctive
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Es mejor que pidas cita por internet: por teléfono no lo coge nadie.
It's better to book online: nobody answers the phone.
Es una pena que no vengáis a la verbena de San Juan.
It's a shame you're not coming to the Saint John's Eve party.
Está claro que el alquiler ha subido, pero no es verdad que sea culpa de los vecinos.
It's obvious that rents have gone up, but it isn't true that it's the neighbours' fault.
Зверніть увагу на виділені частини. Що у них спільного?
The second door into the subjunctive is the impersonal value judgement: when you are not stating a fact but commenting on it - saying it is important, a shame, better, normal. English uses "that" plus an ordinary verb ("it's a shame that you can't come"); Spanish switches to the subjunctive.
| Judging → subjunctive | Stating as true → indicative |
|---|---|
| Es importante que duermas bien. - It's important that you sleep well. | Es verdad que duermes poco. - It's true you don't sleep much. |
| Es necesario que traigas el DNI. - You need to bring your ID card. | Es evidente que tienes razón. - You're obviously right. |
| Es mejor que vayamos en metro. - We'd better take the metro. | Está claro que vamos tarde. - We're clearly running late. |
| Es una pena que no puedas venir. - It's a shame you can't come. | Es seguro que puede venir. - He can definitely come. |
| Me parece bien que lo hagas así. - I think it's fine for you to do it that way. | Creo que lo hace bien. - I think he does it well. |
If the expression asserts that something is true - es verdad, es evidente, está claro, es seguro, es obvio - the verb stays in the indicative. If it gives an opinion, evaluates or recommends - es importante, es necesario, es mejor, es normal, es una pena, es raro, me parece bien - it takes the subjunctive.
That is why denying a certainty flips the mood: No es verdad que sea así. - It isn't true that it's like that. Once you deny the fact, you are no longer asserting it.
If the advice is general, Spanish uses the infinitive, like English: Es importante dormir bien - It's important to sleep well. Add a person and the subjunctive appears: Es importante que duermas bien - I'm telling you.
This is the language of advice between neighbours and of friendly instructions:
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Вправи для практикиEs mejor que pidas cita por internet: por teléfono no lo coge nadie.
It's better to book online: nobody answers the phone.
'Es mejor que' evaluates, so pedir goes into the subjunctive: pidas. The second clause states a fact, so it stays indicative.
Es una pena que no vengáis a la verbena de San Juan.
It's a shame you're not coming to the Saint John's Eve party.
Emotional evaluation, so subjunctive: vengáis. Note the translations use a plain 'that' clause — only Spanish changes the verb.
Está claro que el alquiler ha subido, pero no es verdad que sea culpa de los vecinos.
It's obvious that rents have gone up, but it isn't true that it's the neighbours' fault.
The same sentence shows both sides: 'está claro que' asserts (indicative), 'no es verdad que' denies (subjunctive).
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