Another subjunctive question

[tacuba]

Hi everyone:

I'm trying to say, for example to a waiter:

"I thought that I wasn't hungry, but look, I finished all of it."
"Yo creía que no tuve hambre, pero ¡mira!, terminé todo"

"I didn't think that I was hungry, but look, I finished all of it"
"Yo no creía que tuviera hambre, pero ¡mira!, terminé todo"

Am I correct in my use of the indicative in the first sentence and the subjunctive in the second?

Thanks guys!

[Rusty]

Yes, you're correct to use the indicative in the first sentence and the subjunctive in the second. In the first sentence, I would opt for the imperfect tense (tenía) instead of tuve hambre.

[CrOtALiTo]

I believe that there are other meaning in theses sentences, or at least there are other way to translate of the same sentence but in other way, then I will do my own attempt.

I'm trying to say, for example to a waiter:

"I thought that I wasn't hungry, but look, I finished all of it."
"Pense que no tenia hambre, but mira, He terminado toda la comida.

"I didn't think that I was hungry, but look, I finished all of it"
"No pense que tenia hambre, but mira, Termine toda mi comida.

I repeat this was my own attempt in the translate of the sentences, but I'm disposed in change my own view point of the things in those sentences, of course always in when you are in the accurate.

[Tomisimo]

For some reason I don't think I would use the subjunctive in the second sentence.

"I thought that I wasn't hungry, but look, I finished all of it."
Pensé/creí que no tenía hambre, pero mira, terminé comiéndome todo.

"I didn't think that I was hungry, but look, I finished all of it"
No pensé/no creí que tenía hambre, pero mira, lo terminé/lo acabé todo.

[sosia]

"I thought that I wasn't hungry, but look, I finished all of it."
"Yo creía que no tenía hambre, pero ¡mira!, terminé todo" (Rusty's)

"I didn't think that I was hungry, but look, I finished all of it"
"Yo no pensaba que tuviera/tuviesehambre, pero ¡mira!, terminé todo"
I usually use "pensaba" instead of "creía" (both are OK) in this kind of sentence, because "pensar" has a less-deeper meaning.

little children says "me lo comí todo"
Saludos

[cmon]

Found this rule in my grammar book.
One subject=use infinitive
Two subjects=use subjunctive
However, it is widely accepted that when the first verb is a verb of doubt, the second verb can be in the subjunctive, even when both verbs have the same subject.

[Rusty]

Originally Posted by cmon

Found this rule in my grammar book.
One subject=use indicative
Two subjects=use subjunctive
However, it is widely accepted that when the first verb is a verb of doubt, the second verb can be in the subjunctive, even when both verbs have the same subject.

Sorry, but the rules above are very assuming, and wrong otherwise. I can present several grammatically-correct sentences that don't adhere to these 'rules'.

The indicative mood deals with reality (facts). It doesn't matter how many clauses there are in a sentence. It doesn't matter how many subjects are in the clauses. If the clause (sentence) deals with reality, the indicative mood is used.

Overall, the subjunctive mood is used to convey the speaker's reaction to reality. It is frequently found in a subordinate clause, but not always. When the subjunctive is used in a subordinate clause, it is because the verb in the main clause expresses the speaker's desire/hope, uncertainty/doubt or denial. It is also used in commands and with verbs of volition.

Here are some examples:

Indicative (Reality - Statements of Fact)
Linda se queda en cama. = Linda is staying in bed.
Sé que Linda se queda en cama. = I know (that) Linda is staying in bed.

Subjunctive (Speaker's Reaction to Reality)
No es cierto que Linda se quede en cama.
= It isn't certain (that) Linda is staying in bed. (Uncertainty/Doubt)
No es verdad que Linda se quede en cama.
= It isn't true (that) Linda is staying in bed. (Denial)
Estoy sorprendido que Linda se quede en cama.
= I'm surprised (that) Linda is staying in bed. (Reaction)
Espero que Linda se quede en cama.
= I hope (that) Linda stays in bed. (Desire)
Quiero que Linda se quede en cama.
= I want Linda to stay in bed. (Volition)
Dile a Linda que se quede en cama.
= Tell Linda to stay in bed. (Command)

[cmon]

Thanks, went back to the book and realized I misunderstood the text.
one subject:infinitive (Dudo poder venir) meant one subject:indicative to me.
Just got the meaning of infinitive and indicative mixed up.

[Rusty]

I'm sorry, you had written infinitive (which, based on another comment in this post, I thought should have been indicative). Given the context you just provided, I can see that your textbook is correct. The example given is clearly one of doubt. This would certainly trigger the use of the subjunctive mood IF another clause is created (that's what it means by another subject). The person in that second clause could be the same person or another person. Either way, the subjunctive must be used.

Dudo poder venir. = I doubt I can come.
Dudo que pueda venir. = I doubt I can come.
Dudo que ella pueda venir. = I doubt she can come.

Thanks for the example from your textbook. It really helped to make this more clear for me.

[tacuba]

Originally Posted by sosia

I usually use "pensaba" instead of "creía" (both are OK) in this kind of sentence, because "pensar" has a less-deeper meaning.

Interesting. I always thought that it was the opposite, that pensar refers to the act of thinking itself, and that creer was a little more vague. In English when we way "I thought that I wasn't hungry", it really doesn't mean that we "thought" about it (like a math problem, for example).

Anyway, thanks everybody for your help.

[Tomisimo]

Originally Posted by tacuba

Interesting. I always thought that it was the opposite, that pensar refers to the act of thinking itself, and that creer was a little more vague. In English when we way "I thought that I wasn't hungry", it really doesn't mean that we "thought" about it (like a math problem, for example).

Anyway, thanks everybody for your help.

Both you and sosia are right:

pensar - the act of thinking, a manual thought process (more shallow - this is what I happened to think)
creer - believing something, thinking something, more abstract (deeper - this is my belief structure)

Just my

[CrOtALiTo]

I think, you should to know above the conjugations inside the same structure, if you can use the word Pensaba this word at Spanish is translated as I thought, other example I think in my girlfriend, then you can say, I think in my girlfriend ( Pienso en mi novia), I can give you other example above this use of the word Pensar, I thinking to buy a car new (Estoy pensando en comprar un carro nuevo). Then as you can watch the use of the verb (Think) is very easy his own uses, anyhow, you need improve more your learning at Spanish, you can find alots verbs and itself conjugations from internet, only you need surf inside of the internet.

Good luck.


Only I did my a few commentary above it.