Present Subjunctive Regular

Now that you understand what the subjunctive is and when to use it, it's time to learn how to form it. The good news: the formation rule for regular verbs is beautifully simple and consistent.

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The Golden Rule: "Opposite Endings"

The present subjunctive is formed using what many teachers call the "opposite endings" technique:

1. Start with the yo form of the present indicative
2. Drop the -o
3. Add the "opposite" vowel endings

What does "opposite" mean?

Verb type	Indicative endings use...	Subjunctive endings use...
-AR verbs	-a- vowels (habla, hablas...)	-e- vowels (hable, hables...)
-ER / -IR verbs	-e- vowels (come, comes...)	-a- vowels (coma, comas...)

So -AR verbs "switch" to -e- endings, and -ER/-IR verbs "switch" to -a- endings.

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Step-by-Step Formation

Let's walk through the process with hablar (to speak):