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 The conjunction que may introduce an independent or coordinate clause when followed by a verb in the subjunctive indicating a command: que lo haga él "let him do it".

3.5 Subordination. If a clause has, in another clause, the function of one of the parts of speech, and modifies some element of that clause, it is said to be subordinate' to or dependent on the element it modifies. Subordinate clauses are normally introduced by a subordinating conjunction, often one formed with que "that". The use of a clause in a subordinate position often requires the use of a subjunctive form in the main verb of the subordinate clause. The use of the subjunctive may be automatic, i.e. obligatory in certain constructions. In others, the use of the subjunctive is not obligatory, and its use is significant, i.e. it gives the clause a different meaning than the use of the indicative would.

3.51 Automatic use of the subjunctive is found in the following types of subordinate clauses:

1. Those containing certain verbs:

a) Verbs whose general meaning is that of desire, command, judgment or opinion, emotion, or doubt. The chief of these verbs are:

agradecer "be grateful"

alegrarse "be glad"

dejar "let, allow"

deplorar "regret"

desear "desire"

estar "be" + certain adjectives (e.g contento (de) "glad", enojado "annoyed") gustar "like" impedir "hinder" insistir (en) "insist (on)" mandar "command" pedir "ask" perdonar "forgive" permitir "permit, allow" preferir "prefer" prohibir "forbid" querer "want, wish" sentir "be sorry" sorprenderse "be surprised" sugerir "suggest" tener miedo (de) "be afraid"

b) Impersonal expressions (used only in the third person singular) in which ser "be" is followed by any of a number of adjectives, among them:

bueno "good"

difícil "difficult"

extraño "strange"

fácil "easy"

importante "important"

justo "right"

malo "bad"

mejor "better"

necesario "necessary"

peor "worse"

posible "possible"

probable "probable"

c) Verbs, usually when they are in the negative or interrogative, whose general meaning is that of perceiving, thinking, knowing, declaring; the meaning given by use of the subjunctive is that of uncertainty or doubt. The most important of the determining verbs are:

concebir "conceive, imagine"

creer "believe"

decir "say"

estimar "consider"

juzgar "judge"

pensar "think"

saber "know"

suponer "suppose"

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