Subjunctive after impersonal expressions: es importante que
B1Grammar path · Lesson 48 of 86 · Stage B1 · The subjunctive
You use this point to give advice or to talk about necessity, possibility or your feelings about what a specific person does. The core idea: an expression like es importante que does not state a fact, it evaluates one, so the verb after que goes in the subjunctive. The pattern is Es + adjective + que + subject + subjunctive: Es importante que estudies. It is most often confused with the infinitive version. When you speak in general, with no specific person, use Es importante + infinitive: Es importante estudiar. Expressions of certainty like es verdad que take the indicative instead.
Practise this lesson · 10 sentences
Form
Es importante que + sujeto + verbo en subjuntivoEs importante que + no + verbo en subjuntivo¿Es importante que + verbo en subjuntivo?Es importante + infinitivoWhen to use it
Advice and necessity
Use es importante, es necesario or es mejor to say what someone should or needs to do.
Possibility and likelihood
Es posible que and es probable que express something uncertain, so they always take the subjunctive.
Judgments and feelings
Es una lástima que, es raro que and es bueno que show the speaker's reaction to a situation. Even when the situation is real, the verb stays in the subjunctive.
Signal words
Frequently asked questions
When do I use es importante que + subjunctive and when es importante + infinitive?
Use que + subjunctive for a specific person: Es importante que duermas. Use the infinitive for a general statement: Es importante dormir.
Why doesn't es verdad que take the subjunctive?
Because it states a fact, so it takes the indicative: Es verdad que vive aquí. In the negative, no es verdad que does take the subjunctive.
What if the impersonal expression is in the past?
The verb after que moves to the imperfect subjunctive: Era importante que vinieras.
Does es posible que always take the subjunctive?
Yes. Possibility expressions like es posible que and es probable que always take the subjunctive because the event is uncertain.
Can I drop que after es importante?
No. When there is a specific subject, que is required: Es importante que vengas, never Es importante vengas.