One of the most important rules in Spanish grammar determines whether to use an infinitive or the subjunctive after verbs like querer, esperar, necesitar, and pedir.
The rule is straightforward: same subject → infinitive; different subject → subjunctive.
The Core Rule
When the subject of the main verb and the subject of the dependent verb are the same person, use the infinitive:
- Quiero ir. — I want to go. (I want, I go — same person)
- Necesito dormir. — I need to sleep. (I need, I sleep — same person)
- Espera llegar a tiempo. — She hopes to arrive on time. (she hopes, she arrives)
When the subjects are different, use que + subjunctive:
- Quiero que vayas. — I want you to go. (I want, you go — different people)
- Necesito que me ayudes. — I need you to help me.
- Espera que llegues a tiempo. — She hopes you’ll arrive on time.
With Common Verbs
Querer (to want)
- Quiero comer pizza. — I want to eat pizza. (same subject)
- Quiero que (tú) comas pizza. — I want you to eat pizza. (different subjects)
- Quiere ir al cine. — He wants to go to the cinema.
- Quiere que yo vaya al cine. — He wants me to go to the cinema.
Necesitar (to need)
- Necesito descansar. — I need to rest.
- Necesito que alguien me ayude. — I need someone to help me.
Esperar (to hope / wait for)
- Espero aprobar el examen. — I hope to pass the exam.
- Espero que apruebes el examen. — I hope you pass the exam.
Pedir (to ask/request)
Pedir almost always involves a different person being asked, so it nearly always takes que + subjunctive:
- Te pido que tengas paciencia. — I ask you to be patient.
- Me pidió que volviera pronto. — She asked me to come back soon.
Decir (to tell/say)
Decir + que + subjunctive = telling someone to do something:
- Te digo que esperes. — I’m telling you to wait.
- Me dijo que llamara. — She told me to call.
Compare with decir + que + indicative = reporting a fact:
- Me dijo que llegó tarde. — She told me she arrived late. (reporting, not commanding)
Practice querer conjugations across all tenses.
Hablito drills verb conjugations across all tenses until they become automatic — free, no account needed.
Impersonal Expressions
Impersonal expressions (es importante, es necesario, es bueno…) follow the same pattern:
Same subject (when it’s a general statement): infinitive
- Es importante dormir bien. — It’s important to sleep well.
- Es necesario practicar. — It’s necessary to practice.
Specific subject (someone in particular): que + subjunctive
- Es importante que (tú) duermas bien. — It’s important that you sleep well.
- Es necesario que practiques. — It’s necessary that you practice.
Verbs of Emotion
Emotion verbs (alegrarse de, sentir, temer) follow the same rule:
- Me alegro de verte. — I’m glad to see you. (same → infinitive)
- Me alegro de que hayas venido. — I’m glad you’ve come. (different → subjunctive)
- Temo llegar tarde. — I’m afraid of arriving late.
- Temo que llegues tarde. — I’m afraid you’ll arrive late.
Summary
| Condition | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Same subject | main verb + infinitive | Quiero comer. |
| Different subjects | main verb + que + subjunctive | Quiero que comas. |
| General impersonal | es + adj + infinitive | Es bueno dormir. |
| Specific impersonal | es + adj + que + subjunctive | Es bueno que duermas. |
The one question to ask: Who is performing the second action? If it’s the same person, use the infinitive. If it’s someone else, use que + subjunctive.
Practice subjunctive conjugations to make this rule automatic.
Hablito drills verb conjugations across all tenses until they become automatic — free, no account needed.