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DEDO

 

When Martha G. was in high school, she was able to remember when to use the subjunctive by remembering the acronym DEDO – a strategy originally suggested by her teacher. 

Martha G. thought of an example for each of the uses for the subjunctive, as prompted by the acronym DEDO:

Duda
“Dudo que él tenga la plata para invitarme hoy.”
 ‘I doubt he has the money to invite me out [today].’

Emoción
“¡Qué horrible que haya un choque!”
‘It’s horrible that there was a crash!’ 

Deseo 
“I always remember ojalá.  And there is a fun song, … from the 80’s or the 90’s that says
“Ojalá que llueva café en el campo. 
‘I hope it rains coffee in the countryside.’

Opinión (negativa)
“No creo que haya un choque.
‘I don’t think there was a crash.’

“Dedo [is] … somewhere to start to help you remember when to use [the subjunctive], which is one of the most difficult things that all students run into in Spanish.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

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