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I am wondering is it possible to have several verbs in subjuntivo mood in one sentence?. I think that yes, but I mostly saw examples with one verb (ex.: antes de que estés...) or I simply didn't pay attention to this.

One possible sentence that just came to my mind could be like this:

  • Ojalá que hable contigo cuando esté allí - I hope that I talk to you when I am there

By the way, I heard that "ojalá que" is incorrect grammatically and should be without qué, but I also heard that "ojalá que" is used by natives all the time (ojalá que lluevas). That is why I used it.

So basically 3 questions:

1) Is it possible to have several verbs in subjuntivo mood in one sentence, like in my sentence?

2) If it is possible, are there any limitations?

3) If it is possible AND there are several verbs expected to be in subjuntivo mood, do you as natives try to simplify and construct your sentences in such a way to have less tenses in subjuntivo mood? I know that "subjuntivo" topic is difficult to grasp only for the beginners, but asking just in case.

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  • You can use subjunctive mood in English.
    – Lambie
    Nov 16, 2019 at 19:24

2 Answers 2

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1) Absolutely, it's possible! The sentence you gave is a good example. A few other examples off the top of my head could be:

  • Voy a buscar una tienda que venda cinturones cuando ella llegue. (I'll look for a store that sells belts when she gets here.)
  • Mañana buscaré un trabajo que pague mejor, a menos que el que tengo me dé un bonus grande. (Tomorrow I'll look for a job that pays better, unless the one I have gives me a big bonus.)
  • Cuando cumpla los 18 años, me casaré con el primer hombre que me encuentre bonita. (When I turn 18, I'll marry the first guy who thinks I'm pretty.)

2) and 3) No. You must understand that while the subjunctive mood is complicated for native English speakers to learn, it is no more complicated than any other mood or verb tense for Spanish speakers. Removing subjunctive verbs does not simplify sentences; it changes their meaning (sometimes subtly, sometimes drastically). For example, consider the following sentences:

A. Voy de compras cuando llego al centro.

B. Voy de compras cuando llegue al centro.

Sentence A communicates a habit or repeated action. It implies that you have arrived at the city center in the past, and you normally go shopping when you arrive. Sentence B implies a hypothetical/future situation: you haven't gotten to the city center yet, but you're on your way, and you plan to go shopping when you get there.

The reality is that native speakers of Spanish cannot consciously distinguish between subjuntive and indicative any better than your average native English speaker can distinguish between the gerund and the present progressive. Your third question is kind of like asking, "Do English speakers try to simplify their sentences by using regular past-tense verbs instead of irregular past-tense verbs?" Of course we don't. We use whichever verb/tense/mood/expression best communicates our meaning, and most of us are not able to explain the grammar we're using!

As an English speaker learning Spanish, my advice is to try to think of the subjunctive not as a complication of "simpler" grammatical constructions, but as an integral part of the Spanish language that helps you communicate specifically and accurately. It is very challenging, but you should be using it a lot! A Spanish grammar teacher (and native speaker) once told me that it's rare for 30 seconds go by in a conversation without the subjunctive making an appearance at least once.

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  • thank you for advice regarding using subjuntivo. I agree that it is the most correct way to see the importance of using subjuntivo. Time is needed to internaliza, though. Regarding other my questions here, everything is understood, thank you.
    – Alex
    Nov 16, 2019 at 15:17
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(1) Yes, it is possible to have several verbs in one sentence

(2) I don't see how you are limited there

(3) You could add as many subjunctive verbs as the expression needs. For instance, somebody could say

Ojalá que hagas todo eso que sueñas; que viajes, descubras lugares, conozcas el mundo, conectes con personas interesantes, aprendas y disfrutes cuanto la existencia permite.

Lastly, the use of "que" with "ojalá" is fine, grammatically optional see it here at RAE) ojalá [que] te sirva

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  • Understood, many thanks.
    – Alex
    Nov 16, 2019 at 15:17
  • Glad was helpful. You could vote it too, so others get that it brought value to the question
    – ipp
    Nov 16, 2019 at 16:29

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