Spanish -uar verbs in the present subjuntive (El Presente de Subjuntivo: actuar, continuar)

Learn about Spanish -uar verbs in El Presente de Subjuntivo

In Spanish, verbs that end in -uar take a written accent on the -u in most El Presente de Subjuntivo conjugations. Two common Spanish verbs ending in -uar are actuar (to act / perform) and continuar (to continue).

Conjugation of Spanish verbs actuar and continuar in El Presente de Subjuntivo

  ACTUAR CONTINUAR

yo

actúe continúe
actúes continúes
él/ella/usted actúe continúe
nosotros  actuemos continuemos
vosotros actuéis continuéis
ellos/ustedes actúen continúen

 

Here are some examples:

Es posible que actúe en la representación de navidad del colegio.I may play a part (act) in the Nativity play at school.

Espero que todos actuemos de forma cordial en la reunión de mañana.I hope we all proceed (act) in a cordial way tomorrow at the meeting.

Será mejor que continuéis con vuestro trabajo.You'd better continue with your work.

Quiero que continúen con su excelente labor.I want you to continue with your excellent work.

The verb in the infinitive has the stress on the -ar at the end of the word: actu-ar, continu-ar. However, when it is conjugated in El Presente de Subjuntivo, the stress is on the -u-  for all forms except the nosotros and vosotros forms. For example: actúe, actúes, actúes, actúen / continúe, continúes, continúe, continúen. In the nosotros and vosotros forms, the stress is on the -e at the end of the verb: actuemos, actuéis / continuemos, continuéis.

Other examples with verbs evaluar, insinuar, tatuar.

No es conveniente que insinúes que ella es la culpable de todo.It isn't convenient that you insinuate that it is completely her fault.

Es esencial que evaluemos la situación con mucha precisión.It's essential that we evaluate the situation with a lot of precision.

No me parece buena idea que os tatuéis los brazos.I don't think it's a good idea that you get your arms tattooed.

Here is a list of Spanish verbs ending in -uar

Important:

Not all verbs that end in -uar follow this rule. For example, some verbs that end in -cuar allow for spellings both (e.g. licuar, adecuar, promiscuar) with and without the written accent, and verbs that end in -guar do not need extra accents at all! They are conjugated like regular -ar verbs.

Take for example verbs like  adecuar and averiguar.

Conjugation of Spanish verbs adecuar  and averiguar in El Presente de Subjuntivo

  ADECUAR AVERIGUAR

yo

adecúe/ adecue averigüe
adecúes/adecues

averigües

él/ella/usted adecúe/adecue averigüe
nosotros  adecuemos averigüemos
vosotros adecuéis averigüéis
ellos/ustedes adecúen/adecuen averigüen

Important:

For verbs ending in -guar, like averiguar or apaciguar, their conjugation in El Presente de Subjuntivo has a diéresis on the letter  u [ü], that's the name of the symbol formed by the two dots above the letter. In Spanish, the diéresis is only used with the letter u. Omitting it is a spelling mistake. The diéresis on the u means that the letter u must be pronounced (it's not a silent u like in guerra or Guernica)

Cuando averigües lo que pasa, avísame.When you find out what's going on, let me know.

See also Spanish -uar verbs in the present tense (El Presente: actuar, continuar)

 

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Examples and resources

Es esencial que evaluemos la situación con mucha precisión.It's essential that we evaluate the situation with a lot of precision.
Es posible que actúe en la representación de navidad del colegio.I may play a part (act) in the Nativity play at school.
No me parece buena idea que os tatuéis los brazos.I don't think it's a good idea that you get your arms tattooed.
Cuando averigües lo que pasa, avísame.When you find out what's going on, let me know.
Espero que todos actuemos de forma cordial en la reunión de mañana.I hope we all proceed (act) in a cordial way tomorrow at the meeting.
Será mejor que continuéis con vuestro trabajo.You'd better continue with your work.
Quiero que continúen con su excelente labor.I want you to continue with your excellent work.
No es conveniente que insinúes que ella es la culpable de todo.It isn't convenient that you insinuate that it is completely her fault.
Let me take a look at that...