contaminar Present Subjunctive Conjugation
contaminar — to pollute
The present subjunctive of contaminar (contamine, contamines, etc.) is used after expressions of doubt, desire, emotion, or uncertainty.
contaminar Present Subjunctive Forms
When to Use the Present Subjunctive
You'll use the present subjunctive when expressing wishes, doubts, emotions, or giving orders indirectly. Think phrases like 'I hope that...', 'I doubt that...', 'It's important that...'. It often follows trigger phrases.
Notes on contaminar in the Present Subjunctive
Contaminar is regular in the present subjunctive. The endings follow the pattern for -ar verbs: -e, -es, -e, -emos, -éis, -en.
Example Sentences
Espero que no contamines el agua.
I hope you don't pollute the water.
tú
Dudo que ellos contaminen la atmósfera.
I doubt they pollute the atmosphere.
ellos/ellas/ustedes
Quiero que contamines menos.
I want you to pollute less.
tú
Es importante que todos contaminemos responsablemente.
It's important that we all pollute responsibly.
nosotros
Common Mistakes
Mistake: Using the present indicative instead of the present subjunctive.
Correct: After verbs of doubt or desire, use the subjunctive: 'Dudo que contamine', not 'Dudo que contamina'.
Why: The indicative states facts, while the subjunctive expresses subjective states like doubt, desire, or emotion.
Mistake: Forgetting the 'nosotros' ending.
Correct: The 'nosotros' form is 'contaminemos', ending in '-emos', not '-amos' (which is indicative).
Why: The '-emos' ending is specific to the nosotros present subjunctive for -ar verbs.
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Related Tenses
Present
yo: contamino
The present indicative of contaminar (contamino, contaminas, etc.) describes current or habitual pollution.
Preterite
yo: contaminé
The preterite of contaminar is regular: contaminé, contaminaste, contaminó, contaminamos, contaminasteis, contaminaron.
Imperfect
yo: contaminaba
The imperfect of contaminar (contaminaba, contaminabas, etc.) describes ongoing or habitual pollution in the past.
Future
yo: contaminaré
The future tense of contaminar (contaminaré, contaminarás, etc.) indicates actions that will happen.
Conditional
yo: contaminaría
The conditional of contaminar (contaminaría, contaminarías, etc.) expresses hypothetical outcomes ('would pollute').
Imperfect Subjunctive
yo: contaminara
The imperfect subjunctive of contaminar (contaminara/contaminase) expresses hypothetical or past subjunctive situations.
Affirmative Imperative
yo: contamina
Use the imperative of contaminar for direct commands like 'contamina' (tú) or 'contaminen' (ustedes).
Negative Imperative
yo: no contamines
Negative commands for contaminar use the present subjunctive, like 'no contamines' (tú) or 'no contaminen' (ustedes).