subsistir Present Subjunctive Conjugation
subsistir — to subsist
The present subjunctive ('subsista') is used after expressions of desire, doubt, emotion, and uncertainty.
subsistir Present Subjunctive Forms
When to Use the Present Subjunctive
Use the present subjunctive for 'subsistir' when you want to express a hope, doubt, fear, or emotion about someone's current or future ability to subsist, or when it's an impersonal recommendation.
Notes on subsistir in the Present Subjunctive
'Subsistir' is regular in the present subjunctive. It follows the standard pattern for -ir verbs, changing the stem vowel in the yo, tú, él/ella/usted, and ellos/ellas/ustedes forms.
Example Sentences
Espero que tú subsistas bien en tu nuevo trabajo.
I hope you subsist well in your new job.
tú
Dudo que él subsista con esa paga.
I doubt he subsists on that pay.
él/ella/usted
Es importante que todos subsistamos con dignidad.
It's important that we all subsist with dignity.
nosotros
Temo que ellos no subsistan mucho tiempo solos.
I fear they won't subsist much longer on their own.
ellos/ellas/ustedes
Common Mistakes
Mistake: Using the present indicative instead of the present subjunctive.
Correct: After 'espero que', use 'subsistas' (subjunctive), not 'subsistes' (indicative).
Why: Expressions of hope, doubt, and emotion trigger the subjunctive mood.
Mistake: Forgetting the stem vowel change in the yo, tú, él/ella/usted, and ellos/ellas/ustedes forms.
Correct: It should be 'subsista' and 'subsistan', not 'subsiste' and 'subsisten'.
Why: This is a regular stem-changing verb in the present subjunctive, where the 'i' changes to 'ie' in the indicative, but here the 'i' changes to 'a' for the subjunctive endings.
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Related Tenses
Present
yo: subsisto
The present indicative 'subsisto' is used for current states, habitual actions, or general truths about subsisting.
Preterite
yo: subsistí
The preterite of 'subsistir' is regular: subsistí, subsististe, subsistió, subsistimos, subsististeis, subsistieron.
Imperfect
yo: subsistía
The imperfect 'subsistía' describes ongoing or habitual past actions of subsisting, or sets the background scene.
Future
yo: subsistiré
The future tense 'subsistiré' is regular and used for actions that will happen or to express probability.
Conditional
yo: subsistiría
The conditional 'subsistiría' expresses hypotheticals ('would subsist'), polite requests, or future-in-the-past actions.
Imperfect Subjunctive
yo: subsistiera
The imperfect subjunctive ('subsistiera' or 'subsistiese') expresses past hypotheticals, wishes, or doubts, often in 'if' clauses.
Affirmative Imperative
yo: subsiste
Commands like 'subsiste' (you singular) or 'subsistan' (they/you plural) are formed by taking the present subjunctive, with 'tú' and 'vosotros' being exceptions.
Negative Imperative
yo: no subsistas
Negative commands like 'no subsistas' (you singular) or 'no subsistan' (they/you plural) are always formed using the present subjunctive with 'no'.