by Max Wheeler
It is surprising that today, suddenly, right in the middle of a Chelsea boutique, I recognize that atmosphere. (I recognize that atmosphere, and it is surprising)
Estic contenta que almenys hi ha un professor que l’aprecia.
I am glad there’s at least one teacher who values him. (there’s one teacher who values him, and I’m glad)
With sort que ‘fortunately’, the indicative is normal:
Sort que no hi havia el Pare Rodés.
Fortunately Father Rodés wasn’t there.
19.2.3 OPTATIVE SUBJUNCTIVE
The subjunctive is normal in a que clause which expresses the content of a wish, desire, intention or request. (The content of a wish is necessarily not a fact.) The time of the situation expressed in the que clause may not precede that of the main clause:
Vol que acabis la tesi a corre-cuita.
She wants you to finish the thesis hurriedly.
La seva intenció era que no la fessis esperar més.
Her intention was that you shouldn’t make her wait any longer.
Els aconsellarem que no s’hi fiquin.
We’ll advise them not to get involved in it.
The use of the subjunctive after expressions denoting cause or achievement is similar. Such expressions are aconseguir ‘achieve’, causar ‘cause’, deixar ‘let’, evitar ‘avoid’, fer ‘make’, ‘cause’, forçar ‘force’, impossibilitar ‘make impossible’, manar ‘order’, motivar ‘motivate’, ‘incline’, obligar ‘oblige’, permetre ‘allow’, persuadir ‘persuade’:
Què fa que siguis tan llest?
What makes you (be) so clever?
Li impediren que em digués la veritat.
They prevented him from telling me the truth.
Aconseguiren que la Marta anés amb ells.
They managed to get Marta to go with them.
No permeté que vinguessin els periodistes a l’acte.
He did not allow the journalists to come to the session.
Verbs of saying or telling, like aconsellar ‘advise’, advertir ‘warn’, contestar ‘reply’, cridar ‘call’, ‘shout’, dir ‘say’, insinuar ‘hint’, repetir ‘repeat’, telefonar ‘telephone’, xiuxiuejar ‘whisper’, take the subjunctive in a subordinate clause which denotes the substance of a request, but the indicative (other things being equal) in a subordinate clause which expresses a statement:
Va repetir que calléssim.
He repeated that we should be quiet.
vs.
Va repetir que no s’havia aprovat el conveni.
He repeated that the agreement had not been ratified.
El Paco Huertas havia trucat dient que era l’encarregat del cas i que l’esperessin.
Paco Huertas had rung to say that he was (indicative) in charge of the case and that they should wait (subjunctive) for him.
Li vaig cridar que no entrés.
I shouted to her not to go in.
19.2.4 POTENTIAL SUBJUNCTIVE
The subjunctive is very frequently used in complement clauses dependent on expressions of (i) necessity, (ii) probability or possibility, (iii) appearance, (iv) doubt or denial. As in the cases already mentioned, the essential reason for using the subjunctive is that the speaker is not in a position, or does not wish, to assert that such-and-such is the case. Expressions of ‘hope’ and ‘fear’ often take the subjunctive; this pattern perhaps belongs here too (v).
(i) Among expressions of necessity are: caldre que ‘be necessary that’, ser necessari que ‘be necessary that’, necessitar que ‘need that’, la necessitat que ‘necessity/need that’, ser essencial que ‘be essential that’, ser impossible que ‘be impossible that’ (i.e. ‘necessary that not’), no poder ser que ‘cannot be that’:
Cal que ho prenguis més seriosament.
You must take it more seriously.
No pot ser que s’hagi espatllat.
It’s impossible for it to have broken down.
(ii) Expressions of probability and possibility are those like: ser probable que ‘be likely that’, No hi ha dubte que ‘There is no doubt that’, ser possible que ‘be possible that’, poder ser que ‘may be that’, la possibilitat que ‘the possibility that’:
Et sembla probable que rebaixin la factura?
Do you think it’s likely that they’ll reduce the bill?
Pot ser que s’ho creguin.
It may be that they (will) believe it.
És versemblant que per aquesta raó es vagi donar a la ribera el nom de la població.
It is plausible that for this reason the river was given the name of the settlement.
(iii) Expressions of appearance more often than not take the indicative; this is especially true in the case of semblar or parèixer ‘seem’ or fer l’efecte ‘look’, ‘appear’ used with an indirect object. These expressions function like ‘believe’ or ‘think’ and present a proposition as actual, at least within the speaker’s mental model. Without an indirect object expressed, however, it is as if one were to say ‘it seems (to someone, but I don’t vouch for it)’; hence subjunctive:
Indicative:
Em sembla que la clau, la té l’Emili.
I think it’s Emili who has the key.
Li semblava que el veia allí, plantat, mirant-la fixament.
It seemed to her that she could see him standing there, staring at her.
Subjunctive:
Sembla que vulgui entrar.
It seems as if she wants to get in.
Expressions of supposition or imagination work in a similar way, with the indicative when a qualified assertion is at issue, but with the subjunctive when no one is presented as currently holding the view, for example, when the expression of supposition or imagination is not itself an indicative verb:
Indicative:
M’he imaginat que el prior em reprenia per no cantar amb els altres monjos.
I imagined that the prior was reproving me for not singing with the other monks.
Admeto que ho vaig fer jo.
I admit that I did it.
Accepto que ho vaig fer jo.
I accept that I did it.
Suposo que ho vaig fer jo.
I suppose that I did it.
Sospito que ha passat per ací.
I suspect it has gone through here.
Subjunctive:
Imaginem-nos per un moment que ho hagi dit ella/que ho vagi dir ella.
Let us imagine for a moment that she said it.
Suposem per un moment que ho hagi dit ella/que ho vagi dir ella.
Let us suppose for a moment that she said it.
Acceptem per un moment que ho hagi dit ella/que ho vagi dir ella.
Let us accept for a moment that she said it.
Admetem per un moment que ho hagi dit ella/que ho vagi dir ella.
Let us admit for a moment that she said it.
imaginant-nos/suposant/acceptant/admetent que ho hagi dit ella/que ho vagi dir ella
imagining/supposing/accepting/admitting that she (may have) said it
la hipòtesi/la suposició que ho hagi dit ella/que ho vagi dir ella
the hypothesis/the supposition that she said it
In the examples immediately above the alternative que ho vagi dir ella illustrates the use of the past perfective subjunctive (16.5.10.2) which is further illustrated in (iv) below.
(iv) Expressions of doubt and denial typically provoke the subjunctive in a complement clause, except when the speaker explicitly presents as true that which someone else doubts or denies. Included here are expressions of saying, believing, etc., which are negated, such as no dir que ‘not say that’, no pensar que ‘not think that’, no creure que ‘not believe that’, no adonar-se que ‘not realize that’, sense que ‘without’ (26.1.3), etc. ‘Doubt’ includes also rhetorical questions which bear the connotation ‘surely not’:
Subjunctive:
Dubtava que tornés mai més.
She doubted that he would ever return.
No és que jo me’n queixi.
It’s not that I’m complaining.
sense que jo me’n queixés
without my complaining
No creus que se’n recordin?
Don’t you think they (will) remember it?
L’Arnau negà que l’Anna hagués acudit a la manifestació.
Arnau denied that Anna had joined in the demonstration.
L’Arnau negà que l’Anna acudis/vagi acudir a la manifestació.
Arnau denied that Anna joined in the demonstration.
Qui et diu que no haja estat Emili l’autor d’aquesta trencadissa?
What makes you think Emili wasn’t responsible for this smash-up?
No sabia que fos escriptora.
I didn’t know she was a writer.
Em resulta difícil de creure que entre els esclaus hi hagi qualitats tan uniformes.
It’s hard to believe that among the slaves there should be such uniform characteristics.
Creu realment que puguin acusar Felip dels dos assassinats?
Do you really think they could accuse Felip of the two murders?
Indicative:
Poc s’ho pensaven uns minuts abans que tot els sortiria tan rodó.
They little thought a few minutes earlier that it would all turn out so well for them (which it did).
No s’ho creurà ningú que demà us executen.
No one will believe that you are to be executed tomorrow (which you are).
La Carme no es va adonar que en Pere hi era.
Carme didn’t realize Pere was there (which he was).
No sabia que era escriptora.
She was a writer, which I didn’t know.
It is predominantly in this doubt/denial context that the past perfective subjunctive (16.5.10.2) may occur. In all other contexts of subjunctive use the aspectual distinction conveyed by the contrast between the imperfect and the preterite indicative is not maintained. Here, at least for some speakers, an explicitly perfective meaning may be expressed in a subjunctive clause.
És impossible que ho vagi escriure ella.
It’s impossible that she wrote it. (perhaps because the speaker knows that someone else wrote it)
Vostè creu que el president ho vagi permetre?
Do you believe the chairman allowed it?
Despite this possibility, the ordinary past subjunctive does not, by contrast, imply specifically imperfective aspect. The past perfective subjunctive is purely optional, and it would be quite correct to express the sense of the above examples with the past subjunctive:
És impossible que ho escrivís ella.
Vostè creu que el president ho permetés?
(v) Expressions of fear and hope give rise to particular problems. In the case of fear there is a gap, recognized by normative grammarians, between the traditional pattern of construction, with expletive no, and the pattern of spontaneous use. (In the traditional norm a complement clause after an expression denoting fear contains an element no which is labelled ‘expletive’ because no logical negation is expressed.) With the fear examples, when the main clause is positive, both indicative (future/conditional) and subjunctive are found. With ‘hope’ the problem is that the verb esperar covers a wider range of meaning than English ‘hope’, and not all senses of esperar induce the same construction.
(a) Positive main clause, positive complement (traditional expletive no when subjunctive is used):
Tinc por que els veïns no ho contin tot./Tinc por que els veïns ho contaran tot. (more spontaneous) Tinc por que els veïns ho contin tot.
I’m afraid the neighbours will tell all.
(b) Positive main clause, negative complement:
Tinc por que els veïns no ho contaran tot. (more spontaneous) Tinc por que els veïns no ho contin tot.
I’m afraid the neighbours won’t tell all.
Note the ambiguity whereby the first form in (a) is identical to the ‘more spontaneous’ version in (b) but with opposite meaning. With a negative main clause, there are no alternatives (subjunctive is obligatory) and no ambiguity; no, if used in the subordinate clause, has its regular negative sense.
(c) Negative main clause, positive complement:
No tinc por que els veïns ho contin tot.
I’m not afraid the neighbours will tell all.
(d) Negative main clause, negative complement:
No tinc por que els veïns no ho contin tot.
I’m not afraid the neighbours won’t tell all.
Expressions of hope, such as esperar que ‘hope that’, confiar que ‘trust/expect that’, l’esperança que ‘the hope that’, are normally followed by the indicative. However, in the sense ‘wait for’, ‘wait until’, esperar is followed by the subjunctive (optative sense; 19.2.3).
Confie que em concediran la beca que vaig demanar.
I expect that I’ll be granted the scholarship I applied for.
Esperem que tot et va bé
We hope all is well with you.
Estaven esperant que el seu gendre els ajudés.
They were waiting for their son-in-law to help them.
Espero que pari de ploure.
I’m waiting till it stops raining.
19.3 SUBJUNCTIVE IN RELATIVE CLAUSES
The indicative is very frequently used in relative clauses (Chapter 31). This corresponds to the presumption of existence of the referent in the world of discourse (not necessarily the real world). However, when the speaker does not know of, or does not wish to be committed to, the existence of the referent, or denies its existence, or when a specific referent among a group cannot be identified, the subjunctive is used.
Vol pescar un peix que segons ell pesa cinc quilos. (indicative)
He wants to catch a fish which, according to him, weighs five kilos. (he believes such a fish exists and wants to catch it)
En Manel busca un llibre on s’analitza el mode en les clàusules relatives.
(indicative)
Manel is looking for a book (a specific book which he believes exists) which contains an analysis of mood in relative clauses.
En Manel busca un llibre on s’analitzi el mode. (subjunctive)
Manel is looking for a book (any book, if there is one) which contains an analysis of mood.
No trobàvem ningú que ens aconsellés.
We couldn’t find anyone to advise us.
Cada vegada que visitis el poble te n’enamoraràs més.
Each time you visit the village you will fall more in love with it. (no specific times can be identified)
D’aquests quadres, et regalaré el que més t’agradi.
Of these pictures, I’ll give you whichever one you like best.
No n’hi ha cap d’aquests remeis que sigui eficaç.
There is not one of these treatments that works.
A similar pattern is found with free relatives (= substantival relatives, those without a head noun).
Qui no vol pols, que no vagi a l’era.
(proverb, lit. Whoever does not want dust, let him not go to the threshing floor, approx. = If you don’t like the heat, stay out of the kitchen.)
El qui hagi acabat l’examen pot anar-se’n.
Anyone who has finished the exam may leave, (perhaps nobody has)
Traditionally, and still to some extent in colloquial Valencian and Balearic, the future/conditional may be used in indefinite free relative clauses, in place of the subjunctive, which is generally more frequent nowadays (see 17.1.4.1):
Els que hauran treballat seran recompensats.
Those who work will be rewarded.
Els que es mourien/moguessin serien afusellats.
Those who moved would be shot.
A small number of constructions allow, optionally, the subjunctive in a relative clause which is clearly referential, that is, where the speaker plausibly believes that what the relative clause denotes does actually exist. The choice here is parallel to that of the ‘thematic’ subjunctive in complement clau
ses (19.2.1). The contexts in which this choice is available are: after poc ‘few’, ‘little’, només, solament, únic, sol ‘only’, and in superlative constructions (including primer ‘first’, and darrer/últim ‘last’):
Té pocs alumnes que saben/sàpiguen parlar i escriure correctament en català.
He has few pupils who can speak and write Catalan correctly.
Només conec una persona que pot/pugui ajudar-te.
I know only one person who can help you.
És el llibre més interessant que han/hagin llegit.
It is the most interesting book they have read.
With the indicative, these sentences assert the characteristic (‘can speak and write Catalan correctly’, ‘can help you’, ‘they have read’) and mention the quantity (‘few’, ‘only one’, ‘most (interesting)’). With the subjunctive they assert the quantity, and mention the characteristic. The indicative is more often found in these constructions, though the subjunctive is likely to be induced by the presence in the relative clause of poder, of the perfect (haver), or of mai ‘ever’.
A relative clause which depends on a noun which itself occurs in a clause with an emotive (19.2.2) or optative (19.2.3) subjunctive may use a subjunctive even if the noun phrase has definite reference; again in these contexts the use of the indicative corresponds to the speaker asserting the characteristic, the subjunctive to mentioning it in passing: