Ojalá Que – Subjunctive Trigger

Ojalá que often drops the que because ojalá already means “I hope that…” 
‘Que’ is already built into the meaning, so you’re not actually dropping anything essential.

The que can also be dropped because with ojalá, the subject is always implicit “yo” (I wish / I hope), and whatever follows is a different subject (tú, él, ellos, etc.).

This satisfies my two subjects / two clauses subjunctive rule.

  • Ojalá vengas. → “I (implicit) hope you come” → 2 subjects, subjunctive triggered automatically.
  • Ojalá que vengas. → same thing, just with que marking the clause boundary.

Ojalá Subjunctive Trigger

“Ojalá (que)” will always trigger the subjunctive, because whatever follows is a different subject.

You can separate the use of ojalá que into 2 sections:

  1. Ojalá (que) + subjunctive for I HOPE
  2. Ojalá (que) + imperfect subjunctive for I WISH

“espero que” is interchangeable for I HOPE. 

To keep my spanish simpler I could use:
Espero que for I HOPE
Ojalá (que) for I WISH

Remembering that the ‘que’ is optional

I HOPE – Ojalá (que) / espero que + present subjunctive

  • Ojalá no haya mucho tráfico.
  • Espero que no haya mucho tráfico.
  • Ojalá haya una mesa disponible afuera.
  • Espero que haya una mesa disponible afuera.
  • Ojalá tengamos tiempo para descansar hoy.
  • Espero que tengamos tiempo para descansar hoy.
  • Ojalá mi vecino encuentre su gato.
  • Espero que mi vecino encuentre su gato.

I WISH – Ojalá (que) + imperfect subjunctive

Note: Spanish doesn’t have a separate “preterite” subjunctive form. The imperfect subjunctive takes that slot in meaning when you need a past-looking form in the subjunctive mood.

The imperfect subjunctive covers things like:
I wish I had…
And
I wish I could…

A closer look at these:

I wish I had … 

  • had in english is definitely a past tense verb
  • You can see why you would use the imperfect subjunctive

I wish I could …

Could in english can also mean the ability to do something

I looked at this 6 ways to sideways:

  • You’re supposed to use the imperfect subjunctive for past tense
  • There is no past tense in the English version of “I wish I could …”
    • as you would expect to see
    • if you have to use the imperfect subjunctive for this construction
    • which you do

RESULT: There is a formula for “I wish I could” constructions that has nothing to do with the past tense and it is:
Ojalá (que) + imperfect subjunctive
That’s it. Full stop. Don’t bother looking for the tense theory – it’s not there.

  • Ojalá pudiera ir contigo. → I wish I could go with you.
  • Ojalá pudieras venir mañana. → I wish you could come tomorrow.
  • Ojalá pudiéramos vernos más seguido. → I wish we could see each other more often.
  • Ojalá pudiera ayudarte más. → I wish I could help you more.
  • Ojalá pudieras quedarte un rato más. → I wish you could stay a bit longer.
  • Ojalá pudiera viajar este año. → I wish I could travel this year.
  • Ojalá pudieras entenderme. → I wish you could understand me.
  • Ojalá pudiera olvidarlo. → I wish I could forget it.
  • Ojalá pudieras estar aquí. → I wish you could be here.
  • Ojalá pudiera decirte que sí. → I wish I could tell you yes.

Hay – there is / there are

I wish → imperfect subjunctive → hubiera

You’ll hear hubiera all the time in everyday speech because people constantly talk about things they wish had been true or could be true. Out in the wild, it pops up like this:

  • Ojalá hubiera más tiempo. → Wish there were more time.
  • Ojalá hubiera más dinero. → Wish there were more money.
  • Ojalá hubiera otra oportunidad. → Wish there were another chance.
  • Ojalá hubiera más gente aquí. → Wish there were more people here.
  • Ojalá hubiera una solución fácil. → Wish there were an easy solution.
  • Ojalá hubiera sol. → Wish it were sunny.
  • Ojalá hubiera silencio. → Wish it were quiet.
  • Ojalá hubiera café. → Wish there were coffee.
  • Ojalá hubiera asientos libres. → Wish there were free seats.
  • Ojalá hubiera un baño cerca. → Wish there were a bathroom nearby.
  • Ojalá no hubiera tanta gente en la fila. → I wish there weren’t so many people in line.
  • Ojalá no hubiera hecho tanto calor ayer. → I wish it hadn’t been so hot yesterday.
  • Ojalá no hubiera tráfico a esta hora. → I wish there weren’t traffic at this hour.
  • Ojalá no hubiera pasado así. → I wish it hadn’t happened like that.
  • Ojalá no hubiera ruido mientras trabajo. → I wish there weren’t noise while I work.