calentar Present Subjunctive Conjugation
calentar — to heat up
The present subjunctive follows the 'ie' stem change: caliente, calientes, caliente, calentemos, calentéis, calienten.
calentar Present Subjunctive Forms
When to Use the Present Subjunctive
Use it after expressions of desire, doubt, or necessity, like 'I want you to heat up the coffee' (Quiero que calientes...)
Notes on calentar in the Present Subjunctive
The stem change (e to ie) happens in the same 'boot' pattern as the present indicative. Nosotros and vosotros stay as 'e'.
Example Sentences
Espero que calientes la comida bien.
I hope you heat the food well.
tú
Es mejor que calentemos antes del partido.
It's better that we warm up before the game.
nosotros
Common Mistakes
Mistake: Que ellos calentien.
Correct: Que ellos calienten.
Why: The stem change is 'ie', and the ending for -ar verbs in subjunctive is 'en'. Don't double up or misplace the 'i'.
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Related Tenses
Present
yo: caliento
Calentar has a stem change (e to ie) in all forms except nosotros and vosotros: caliento, calientas, calienta, calientan.
Preterite
yo: calenté
Calentar is completely regular in the preterite: calenté, calentaste, calentó, calentamos, calentasteis, calentaron.
Imperfect
yo: calentaba
Calentar is regular in the imperfect, using the standard -aba endings: calentaba, calentabas, calentaba...
Future
yo: calentaré
The future of calentar is regular: add the endings -é, -ás, -á, -emos, -éis, -án to the full infinitive.
Conditional
yo: calentaría
The conditional of calentar is regular: calentar +ía, -ías, -ía, -íamos, -íais, -ían.
Imperfect Subjunctive
yo: calentara
The imperfect subjunctive is regular based on the preterite: calentara, calentaras, calentara, calentáramos...
Affirmative Imperative
yo: calienta
The commands use the 'ie' stem change except for vosotros: calienta (tú), caliente (usted), calentad (vosotros).
Negative Imperative
yo: no calientes
Negative commands use the present subjunctive forms: no calientes, no caliente, no calentemos...