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Spanish Lesson Intermediate 7 How to use the Present Subjunctive Tense with expressions of probability Posted by on Nov 3, 2010 in Spanish Grammar, Spanish Vocabulary, Videos

¡Hola!

¿Cómo estáis?

Hoy vamos a practicar como usar el presente de subjuntivo con frases de probabilidad. In this lesson we are going to practice how to use the Subjunctive Present Tense with sentences of probability. “Sentences of probability” are sentences that highlight the probability of something happening with words such as “maybe”, “hopefully” or “possibly”.

I am now going to give you various examples of this type of sentence and I suggest that you memorise with which words you need to use the subjunctive and with which words you need to use the indicative:

Let´s see first when to use the subjunctive:

Quizá/s + subjuntivo: Perhaps

Quizá mañana vayamos al cine: Perhaps tomorrow we will go to the cinema

Tal vez + subjuntivo: Maybe

Tal vez nos quedemos unos días más: Maybe we will stay a few more days

Posiblemente + subjuntivo: Possibly

Posiblemente consigas el trabajo: Possibly you will get the job

Probablemente + subjuntivo: Probably

Probablemente no quiera venir: Probably he doesn´t want to come

Puede (ser) que + subjuntivo: It could be that

Puede (ser) que no escuche en clase: It could be that he doesn´t listen in class

Es posible que + subjuntivo: It is possible that

Es posible que nos veamos: It is possible that we will see each other

Es probable que + subjuntivo: It is probable that

Es probable que él sea culpable: It is probable that he is guilty

A lo mejor + indicativo: Maybe

A lo mejor voy al cine esta noche: Maybe I will go to the cinema tonight

Igual + indicativo: Maybe

Igual estudio un poco más: Maybe I will study a bit more

We can use this type of sentence to make predictions. For example: “Es muy probable que dentro de pocos años vivamos en otros planetas” (it’s likely that we will live on other planet within a few years)

Let´s see know some expressions that we use in Spanish to react to predictions:

Ya me gustaría, ya: I would love to

Espero que sí: I hope so

¡Ojalá!: Hopefully!

Yo también lo creo: I think so too

Seguro que sí: Definitely

¡Ni que lo digas!: You don´t say!/ Tell me about it!

No sé, no sé: I really don´t know

¿Tú crees? No sé yo… Do you think so? I am not so sure

Yo no lo veo tan claro: I don´t see it that easy/clear

A ver si es verdad: Let´s see if that is true

¿Sí?: Really?

¡No me digas!: No way!

No creo: I don´t think so

¡Sí hombre! Of couse!/Yeah, right!

Eso no te lo crees ni tú: Not even you believe that

Pero ¿Qué dices? Eso es imposible. What are you saying? That is impossible!

¡Lo que nos faltaba!: That’s just what we need! (in an ironic way)

The expressions we´ve just seen are used a lot in Spanish and their intonation is very important. I recommend that you practice the intonation this week and see how many expressions you can remember. They can be very good fun to utilize in conversation and will really impress a native speaker.

Espero que tengáis una semana fabulosa.

¡Hasta pronto!

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About the Author: Laura & Adam

Laura & Adam have been blogging and creating online Spanish courses for Transparent Language since 2010. Laura is from Bilbao in northern Spain and Adam is from Devon in the south of England. They lived together in Spain for over 10 years, where their 2 daughters were born, and now they live in Scotland. Both Laura & Adam qualified as foreign language teachers in 2004 and since have been teaching Spanish in Spain, the UK, and online.