I know subjunctive is usually really hard for Spanish students to grasp. And in deed it makes so much sense specially if you are a native English speaker. Latin languages in general express mental processing through a different conjugations which we call subjunctive, yea that's right, subjective is not past, nor present nor future. It's just in your head.See the following example:
I want you to go to my party (wish, hope, wanting)
You always go so fast (fact, present action)
In English both sentences express the verb "to go" in present, regardless that the first one expresses a possibility that depends on someone else desire, and the second one expresses a fact about someone else. The first one hasn't happened, the wanting is happening but not the going, right? In English the first one almost feels like a future tense.
When expressing the same in Spanish, you will say:
Quiero que vayas a mi fiesta (present subjunctive)
Tu siempre vas muy rápido (present)
So, in Spanish every time you are expressing, hope, wish, doubt, suggestion, desire, and all those feelings that are only on your head and are not necessary a reality yet you will use the subjective conjugation, which is written different to differentiate a fact from a thought. Isn't that amazing! That is in deed what gives Latin languages (or should we say romantic languages) such a soul tone and feeling, such a depth and passion, because it tailors to your feelings.
Thanks Romans !!! I bet it was very obvious for them to differentiate between what is real and what's not, especially because besides plain communications skills, Latin was born from the literary dialect used in poetry and prose. So, bottom line is, Love is to blame for the burst of these languages, how can it not sound so romantic and passionate.
Here is a great song and activities related to the subject. The song uses one of my favorite Spanish words Ojalá which comes from the Arabic root "si Dios quisiera" (If God wants)
Espero que nos veamos (subjunctive verb) pronto!
Dari
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