establecer Present Subjunctive Conjugation
establecer — to establish
The present subjunctive uses the irregular 'establezc-' stem for all persons.
establecer Present Subjunctive Forms
When to Use the Present Subjunctive
Use this after expressions of doubt, desire, or necessity—like when someone wants a rule to be established.
Notes on establecer in the Present Subjunctive
The 'zc' from the 'yo' form of the present indicative carries through to every single person in the present subjunctive.
Example Sentences
Es importante que establezcas límites.
It is important that you establish boundaries.
tú
Quiero que establezcamos una fecha para la reunión.
I want us to establish a date for the meeting.
nosotros
Dudo que establezcan una nueva sede aquí.
I doubt they will establish a new headquarters here.
ellos/ellas/ustedes
Common Mistakes
Mistake: que yo establezca (misspelled as estableca)
Correct: establezca
Why: Without the 'z', the 'c' before 'a' would sound like a 'k'. The 'zc' is needed to keep the 's' sound.
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Related Tenses
Present
yo: establezco
Establecer is irregular in the 'yo' form (establezco), but regular for all other persons.
Preterite
yo: establecí
The preterite of establecer is completely regular: establecí, estableciste, estableció, etc.
Imperfect
yo: establecía
The imperfect of establecer is regular: establecía, establecías, establecía, establecíamos, establecíais, establecían.
Future
yo: estableceré
The future tense is regular: add the endings -é, -ás, -á, -emos, -éis, -án to the infinitive establecer.
Conditional
yo: establecería
The conditional is regular: add -ía, -ías, -ía, -íamos, -íais, -ían to the infinitive establecer.
Imperfect Subjunctive
yo: estableciera
Formed using the preterite stem: estableciera, establecieras, estableciera, etc.
Affirmative Imperative
yo: establece
The imperative uses 'establece' for tú and 'establezca' for formal/plural commands.
Negative Imperative
yo: no establezcas
Negative commands always use the present subjunctive forms: no establezcas, no establezca, etc.