Usage of recommend / request with present subjunctive mood

Grammar Essential #132

Present subjunctive – usage

Recommend / RequestWhen constructing a sentence,

put the recommendation or the request in the first part of the sentence in the present tense, use que, change of subject, and then put the second verb in the present subjunctive.

Words that are used in recommendations / request statementsThere are words that are used the first part of

the present subjunctive construction that would indicate recommend / request statements. This list is not inclusive: ☆ recomendar ☆ aconsejar

☆ decir ☆ insistir☆ preferir ☆ pedir☆ necesitar ☆ permitir

Ellos recomiendan que yo no coma toda la comida.

Yo insisto que nosotros leamos la novela española.

• Pedir and decir can be requests when you are enforcing a “request.”

Examples