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You walk into a shop in Bogota and the owner says: "¿Que quisiera usted?" Not "quiere" - but quisiera. You leave a friend's house and they say: "Que le vaya bien." Your grandmother calls and ends with: "Dios quiera que todo salga bien." The subjunctive is woven into the fabric of Colombian courtesy. This lesson teaches you the polite subjunctive forms and the Colombian expressions that you will hear - and need to use - every single day.
B1-B2 Language Objectives
By the end of this lesson, you will be able to:
The most elegant way to make a polite request in Spanish is with the imperfect subjunctive of querer and poder. You do not need to master all of the imperfect subjunctive yet - just these two essential forms:
| Infinitive | Polite Form | Meaning | Politeness Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| querer | quisiera | I would like | Very polite |
| poder | pudiera | Could I / Would it be possible | Very polite |
Compare the levels:
| Level | Example | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| Direct | Quiero un cafe. | I want a coffee. |
| Polite | Quisiera un cafe. | I would like a coffee. |
| Very polite | ¿Pudiera darme un cafe? | Could you give me a coffee? |
| Standard polite | ¿Me puede dar un cafe? | Can you give me a coffee? |
You are at a restaurant in Bogota. Which is the most polite way to order?
You want to ask a stranger for directions politely. Which is best?
At a Bank in Bogota
Cliente: Buenos dias. Quisiera abrir una cuenta de ahorros. Empleada: Con mucho gusto. ¿Pudiera mostrarme su cedula? Cliente: Claro. ¿Quisiera usted una copia? Empleada: Si, por favor. ¿Pudiera esperar un momento?
Notice: every request uses quisiera/pudiera. This is standard Colombian professional register - never blunt, always softened.
Colombians use subjunctive expressions constantly in greetings and farewells. These are not optional flourishes - they are social necessities.
| Expression | Meaning | Context |
|---|---|---|
| Que le vaya bien. | May it go well for you. (formal) | Said when someone leaves |
| Que te vaya bien. | May it go well for you. (informal) | Among friends |
| Que les vaya bien. | May it go well for you all. | Groups |
The full structure: [Que] + indirect object pronoun + vaya (subjunctive of ir) + bien
Your Colombian colleague is leaving the office. What do you say?
| Expression | Meaning | Subjunctive Verb |
|---|---|---|
| Que descanse. | May you rest. (goodnight) | descansar → descanse |
| Que duerma bien. | May you sleep well. | dormir → duerma |
| Que amanezca bien. | May you wake well. | amanecer → amanezca |
| Que Dios lo/la bendiga. | May God bless you. | bendecir → bendiga |
| Que tenga buen dia. | May you have a good day. | tener → tenga |
| Que le aproveche. | Enjoy your meal. | aprovechar → aproveche |
It is midnight and your host is going to bed. What do you say?
You learned ojala triggers the subjunctive. In Colombia, it is used far more frequently than in other countries. It appears in casual conversation, not just formal hopes.
| Expression | Context |
|---|---|
| Ojala que si. | I hope so. (Common response) |
| Ojala que no. | I hope not. |
| Ojala pueda ir. | Hopefully I can go. |
| Ojala no llueva. | Hopefully it does not rain. |
| Ojala todo salga bien. | Hopefully everything turns out well. |
| Ojala Dios quiera. | God willing. (Double subjunctive!) |
Colombian Friends Making Plans
Camila: ¿Vas a venir a la fiesta? Valentina: Ojala pueda ir. Depende de mi trabajo. Camila: Ojala que si. Va a estar muy chevere. Valentina: Ojala no llueva - es al aire libre, ¿cierto? Camila: Si. Ojala todo salga bien.
Five uses of ojala in a single casual conversation. This is normal in Colombia.
Your friend asks: '¿Crees que va a hacer buen tiempo manana?' You hope so. What do you say?
Colombia is deeply Catholic, and many everyday expressions invoke God + subjunctive:
| Expression | Meaning | Analysis |
|---|---|---|
| Dios quiera que... | God willing that... | quiera = subjunctive of querer |
| Si Dios quiere. | God willing. | quiere = indicative (fixed expression) |
| Dios mediante. | God willing. (formal) | Fixed expression |
| Dios no quiera que... | God forbid that... | quiera = subjunctive |
| Dios le pague. | May God repay you. (Thank you) | pague = subjunctive of pagar |
Your Colombian grandmother says: 'Dios no quiera que le pase algo malo.' What is the grammatical function of this?
A Taxi Ride in Cali
Conductor: ¿Para donde, jefe? Pasajero: Al aeropuerto, por favor. Quisiera llegar antes de las 6. Conductor: Ojala no haya mucho trafico. Si Dios quiere, llegamos rapido. Pasajero: Dios quiera. Tengo vuelo a las 7. Conductor: llegando al aeropuerto Listo, jefe. Que le vaya bien en su viaje. Pasajero: Muchas gracias. Dios le pague.
This taxi conversation uses 5 subjunctive expressions naturally. This is how Colombians actually speak.
Situation 1: Ordering food Direct: "Quiero un jugo de lulo." Polite: "Quisiera un jugo de lulo, por favor."
Situation 2: Asking for help Direct: "¿Puede ayudarme?" Polite: "¿Pudiera ayudarme, por favor?"
Situation 3: Saying goodbye Standard: "Adios, hasta luego." Colombian: "Que le vaya bien. Que tenga buen dia."
Situation 4: Expressing hope Direct: "Espero que puedas venir." Colombian: "Ojala puedas venir. Dios quiera."
Situation 5: Thanking someone deeply Standard: "Muchas gracias." Colombian: "Dios le pague. Muy amable."
A Colombian says 'Dios le pague' after you help them. What does it mean?
You are at a formal dinner in Bogota and want more water. Which is most appropriate?
Test yourself: