VERBAL MODES: TYPES AND EXAMPLES - LITERATURE - 2024

The verbal modes are verbal categories related to the attitude of the speaker before the facts are communicating. Roughly, the facts can be real, probable or possible, or they can be orders. This meaning is expressed in the different verbal endings.

The latter are the different inflections or endings of the verb. Thus, in the verb form “we love” the ending is “masters”. To distinguish the verbal modes, a semantic criterion can be taken; then, the facts can be real, hypothetical, probable or necessary, corresponding to indicative, subjunctive, potential and imperative.

The verb modes of "you spoke", "you spoke", "you would speak" and "speak" are indicative, subjunctive, potential and imperative, respectively. There is another syntactic criterion: relationship between mode and subordination; the indicative is used in subordinate independent clauses, the subjunctive only in subordinates and the imperative never in subordinates.

Types and examples of verb modes

As said previously, the verb modes can be three or four, depending on the criteria used for their distinction. Some experts even reduce them to two: indicative and subjunctive.

To be comprehensive, examples will be provided for four verb modes: indicative, subjunctive, potential, and imperative.

Indicative mode

In the indicative mood, the speaker expresses concrete, factual events that can be carried out within a certain time frame. This mode is related to the probable, verifiable, real or existing.

Example

Indicative mood of the verb «mold».

- Present

(I) molding

(you) mold

(he / she / you) mold

(we) mold

(you) mold

(they / they / you) mold

- Preterite perfect compound / pre-present

I have molded

(you) have molded

(he / she / you) has molded

(we) have molded

(you) have molded

(they / they / you) have molded

- Past perfect simple / past tense

(I) molded

(you) molded

(he / she / you) molded

(we) mold

you have molded

(they / they / you) molded

- Past preterite / pre-past tense

I will have molded

(you) will have molded

(he / she / you) had molded

(we) will have molded

will you have molded?

They will have molded

- Future

I will mold

(you) will mold

(he / she / you) will mold

(we) will mold

(you) are molding

(they / they / you) will mold

- Composite future / antefuture

(I) will have molded

(you) will have molded

(he / she / you) will have molded

(we) will have molded

will you have molded

They will have molded

- Imperfect / Copreterite

(I) molded

(you) molded

(he / she / you) molded

(we) molded

(you) molded

(they / they / you) molded

- Past perfect / antecopreterite

(I) had molded

(you) had molded

(he / she / you) had molded

(we) had molded

(you) had molded

(they / they / you) had molded

Subjunctive mode

Another of the verb modes in Spanish is the subjunctive. It is used to express a situation or condition considered unreal, unknown, not experienced, not factual or hypothetical.

The subjunctive mood is used after some verbs that express a wish, request or suggestion. This is always subordinate to a verb in the indicative.

Example

Subjunctive mood of the verb «mold».

- Present

(I) mold

(you) mold

(he / she / you) mold

(we) mold

(you) mold

(they / they / you) mold

- Preterite perfect compound / pre-present

I have molded

would you have molded

(he / she / you) has molded

(we) will have molded

would you have molded

will they have molded

- Imperfect / past tense

(I) will mold or mold

(you) will mold or mold

(he / she / you) will mold or mold

(we) will mold or mold

(you) would mold or mold

(they / they / you) will mold or mold

- Past perfect / preterite

(I) would / would have molded

would you have molded?

(he / she / you) would / would have molded

(we) would / would have molded

would you have molded

(they / they / they) would have molded

- Future simple / future

I will mold

(you) will mold

(he / she / you) will mold

(we) will mold

(you) are molding

(they / they / you) will mold

- Composite future / antefuture

I would have molded

would you have molded

(he / she / you) would have molded

(we) will have molded

would you have molded?

would they have molded

Potential or conditional mode

The potential mode expresses a potential fact, which is possible under certain conditions. The Royal Spanish Academy considers it part of the indicative mood.

Example

Potential or conditional mode of the verb «mold».

- Simple / postpreterite conditional

I will mold

would you be molding

(he / she / you) will mold

(we) will be molding

you will be molding

will they be molding

- Compound conditional / antepospreterite

would I have molded

would you have molded

(he / she / you) would have molded

(we) had molded

would you have molded

(they / they / you) had molded

Imperative mode

In the imperative mood, verbal action expresses order, command or exhortation. It is only used in the second person, plural or singular (you, you, you, you). For other people the subjunctive is used.

Thus, the sentence addressed to a second person "go to your room" becomes "tell him to go to his room".

Regarding time, some authors consider that it does not express verb tense, others that it is only used in the present.

Example

Imperative mood of the verb «mold».

(you) mold

(you) mold

(you) mold

(you) mold

References

1. García, S.; Meilán, A. and Martínez, H. (2004). Build well in Spanish: the form of words. Oviedo: Ediuno.
2. Basterrechea, E. and Rello, L. (2010). The verb in Spanish. Madrid: Mill of ideas.
3. Comparán Rizo, JJ Gramatica Castellana. Jalisco: Threshold Editions.
4. Alonso Cortés, AM (1981). Grammar of the subjunctive. Madrid: Chair.
5. Padilla Velázquez, E. (2003). Spanish language. Mexico DF: Pearson Education.
6. Maqueo, AM and Méndez, V. (2004). Spanish, language and communication 2. México DF Editorial Limusa.
7. Burunat, S.; Estévez, AL and Ortega, AH (2010). Spanish and its syntax. New York: Peter Lang.