Motifluent
Language Transfer Spanish notes

Lesson 77

Ojalá and Things That Should Be True

Language Transfer Complete Spanish is by Mihalis Eleftheriou. Listen to the original audio first; use these notes for revision.

Es + adjective + que → subjunctive. But es + adjective + si → NO subjunctive.

  • Es terrible que comas esto. (subjunctive — que introduces it)

  • Es terrible si comes esto. (no subjunctive — si doesn't trigger it)

Ojalá = hopefully / I wish (from Arabic "God willing"). Always followed by subjunctive: Ojalá sea pronto = Hopefully it's soon.

O sea = I mean / in other words (literally "or it might be").

Qué + adjective = How ___! ¡Qué fuerte! (How intense!), ¡Qué bueno!, ¡Qué increíble!

Sentences practiced

SpanishEnglish
Debería haber algo para comer.There should be something to eat.
Es terrible que comas esto.It's terrible that you eat this. (subj)
Es terrible si comes esto.It's terrible if you eat this. (no subj)
Es posible que vayamos más tarde.It's possible we'll go later.
Qué fuerte que esté aquí.How intense that he's here.
Está bien que preguntes.It's okay that you ask.
No es necesario que responda.It's not necessary that I respond.
Es importante que lo encontremos pronto.It's important we find it soon.
Ojalá deje un mensaje.Hopefully she leaves a message.
Ojalá sea pronto.Hopefully it's soon.