Use of the subjunctive conjugations?

[ChilenoAlemanCanada]

Could someone please explain to me what the subjunctive is used for?

Please and thank you!

Anyone? There are currently 21 people viewing this section of the forum, not one of them know?

[Rusty]

Your question has already been answered in many other threads. You can search the forums and read what has been said.

You'll find that a great deal has been said and that it's very important in Spanish.

In order to help narrow things down a bit, what in particular has raised this question?

[ChilenoAlemanCanada]

I've seen those conjugations in conjugation charts, but I've never found out how to use them, that's all. I'll check out the other threads, thanks.

Okay, so from what I've read it seems to be very simple. I use them when que is used before it.

Example:

¿Por qué quiere (él) que yo te ayude?

I don't know, I have a feeling I'm not understanding it correctly.

Also, how would I delete that post below? Thanks.

[Rusty]

The conjunction que is commonly used, and is never the criterium that drives the use of the subjunctive. The sentence you cited contains a secondary clause cast in the subjunctive because the main verb is one of volition. That is one of the reasons the subjunctive is used.
There are several other reasons.
There are also phrases that mandate its use.

[ChilenoAlemanCanada]

Well, I guess I'll just learn how to use them through trial and error then, if there are a lot of reasons. Thanks!

[Rusty]

If you have a look around, there are many examples of how to use the subjunctive and when to recognize that it is required. Here are just a few.

http://forums.tomisimo.org/showthread.php?t=2409 (http://forums.tomisimo.org/showthread.php?t=2409)
http://forums.tomisimo.org/showthread.php?t=4964 (http://forums.tomisimo.org/showthread.php?t=4964)
http://forums.tomisimo.org/showthread.php?t=2424 (http://forums.tomisimo.org/showthread.php?t=2424)
http://forums.tomisimo.org/showthread.php?t=4980 (http://forums.tomisimo.org/showthread.php?t=4980)

Here are a few web sites that can help you pin down some of the rules.
http://www.lingolex.com/swom/wom-subj.htm (http://www.lingolex.com/swom/wom-subj.htm)
http://www.studyspanish.com/lessons/subj1.htm (http://www.studyspanish.com/lessons/subj1.htm)
http://www.studyspanish.com/lessons/subj2.htm (http://www.studyspanish.com/lessons/subj2.htm)
http://www.studyspanish.com/lessons/subj3.htm (http://www.studyspanish.com/lessons/subj3.htm)
http://www.studyspanish.com/lessons/subj4.htm (http://www.studyspanish.com/lessons/subj4.htm)
http://www.studyspanish.com/lessons/subj5.htm (http://www.studyspanish.com/lessons/subj5.htm)
http://www.studyspanish.com/lessons/subj6.htm (http://www.studyspanish.com/lessons/subj6.htm)
http://www.studyspanish.com/lessons/subj7.htm (http://www.studyspanish.com/lessons/subj7.htm)
http://www.studyspanish.com/lessons/subj8.htm (http://www.studyspanish.com/lessons/subj8.htm)
http://spanish.speak7.com/spanish_subjunctive.htm (http://spanish.speak7.com/spanish_subjunctive.htm)
http://users.ipfw.edu/jehle/courses/subjadv.htm (http://users.ipfw.edu/jehle/courses/subjadv.htm)

[ChilenoAlemanCanada]

Whoah! You didn't have to go through all that trouble! Thank you!

[Rusty]

You're welcome!

[Suavemente]

Example:

¿Por qué quiere (él) que yo te ayude?

I don't know, I have a feeling I'm not understanding it correctly.


¿Quiso decir?....... ¿Por qué quiere (él) que te ayude? o ¿Por qué querría (él) que te ayude?

[Rusty]

¿Quiso decir?....... ¿Por qué quiere (él) que te ayude? o ¿Por qué querría (él) que te ayude?Since the subjunctive ayude could refer to 1st person or 3rd persons, yo is needed for clarification.
In your second sentence, the conditional mood in the main clause requires the imperfect subjunctive in the secondary.
¿Por qué querría él que yo te ayudara?