It's not really about doubt or certainty?

S. R.C1Kwiziq community member

It's not really about doubt or certainty?

Just an observation that I hope may help someone, as there are a couple of questions on here that express some confusion about this: it might make more sense at least in this case to think of the use of the subjunctive and indicative as marking verbs describing circumstances that are real vs those that are unreal. When you say "no opino que mi jefe tenga razón", the clause "...my boss is right" is decribing a situation that just doesn't exist, and actually the thesis of the sentence is precisely the opposite of that! So using the indicative would sound weird, because in effect your subordinate clause would sound like a factual statement contradicting the idea you're expressing. To avoid this, Spanish grammar uses the subjunctive in this context. In contrast, saying "opino que el jefe sí tiene razón" works fine because the part saying that "...the boss is right" alligns with the perceived fact you're stating. Of course it's not 100% logical all the time because every language is going to have its little quirks, but I think this is a more useful way to view it than the certainty-versus-uncertainty idea. Of course, there are many times when the subjunctive implies uncertainty--but that's more because uncertainty falls under a broader umbrella of unreality, not because the purpose of the subjunctive is to express uncertainty per se. 

Anyone please feel free to correct or elaborate more on this if you wish. I hope someone else finds this helpful.

Asked 4 months ago
SilviaNative Spanish expert teacher in KwiziqCorrect answer

Hola S. R.

Thank you for your insightful observation! Your explanation about the use of the subjunctive and indicative in terms of real versus unreal circumstances is a great way to understand the distinction, particularly in the context of negative opinion phrases.

You're absolutely right that when we say something like "No opino que mi jefe tenga razón", the subjunctive is used because the clause "...mi jefe tenga razón" describes a scenario that doesn't align with reality—it's not just about uncertainty, but rather about expressing a situation that is contrary to fact or is perceived as not true. This is why the indicative would sound out of place, as it would imply that the statement is a factual reality, which contradicts the main idea of the sentence.

In contrast, using the indicative in a sentence like "Opino que el jefe sí tiene razón" makes sense because here, the clause aligns with the reality that the speaker perceives or asserts as true. Your point about the subjunctive not being purely about uncertainty but rather about unreality is an excellent perspective, and it can definitely help learners make sense of when to use the subjunctive.

Thank you for sharing this, and I’m sure others will find it helpful as well. As always, it's great to discuss these nuances, and anyone is welcome to add their thoughts or further elaboration on the topic.

Saludos

Silvia

S. R. asked:View original

It's not really about doubt or certainty?

Just an observation that I hope may help someone, as there are a couple of questions on here that express some confusion about this: it might make more sense at least in this case to think of the use of the subjunctive and indicative as marking verbs describing circumstances that are real vs those that are unreal. When you say "no opino que mi jefe tenga razón", the clause "...my boss is right" is decribing a situation that just doesn't exist, and actually the thesis of the sentence is precisely the opposite of that! So using the indicative would sound weird, because in effect your subordinate clause would sound like a factual statement contradicting the idea you're expressing. To avoid this, Spanish grammar uses the subjunctive in this context. In contrast, saying "opino que el jefe sí tiene razón" works fine because the part saying that "...the boss is right" alligns with the perceived fact you're stating. Of course it's not 100% logical all the time because every language is going to have its little quirks, but I think this is a more useful way to view it than the certainty-versus-uncertainty idea. Of course, there are many times when the subjunctive implies uncertainty--but that's more because uncertainty falls under a broader umbrella of unreality, not because the purpose of the subjunctive is to express uncertainty per se. 

Anyone please feel free to correct or elaborate more on this if you wish. I hope someone else finds this helpful.

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