“Me alegro de que vengas”: feelings take the subjunctive
CEFR B2 · part 2
edumaterial's parts within the level. The European framework does not subdivide them.
“Quería que vinieras”: the tense drags the mood with itMatching the subjunctive to the main verb: present with present (“quiero que vengas”)…“Sin embargo”, “por tanto”, “en cambio”The connectors that hold an argument together, and what each one promises: “sin…“Serán las tres”: a future that is not about the futureUsing the future for a guess about now (“serán las tres”, “estará en casa”) and the…“Fue construido” or “estaba construido”Telling the action apart from the state it leaves behind: “la puerta fue cerrada a las…“Un momentito”: the diminutive is not about sizeWhat “-ito” really adds: affection (“abuelita”), politeness (“un momentito”), softening…“Acabar de”, “acabar con”, “acabar por”Verbs whose meaning changes entirely with the preposition: “acabar de/con/por”, “dar…The rule, in three lines
When the main clause REACTS to something instead of reporting it, the second verb goes to the subjunctive: me alegro de que vengas, es una pena que no puedas, me parece normal que estés cansado. It does not matter that the fact is certain.
The usual slip. Using the indicative because the fact is true: me alegro de que vienes. Truth is not the test; reacting is.
Why it catches you out. English reacts with an ordinary statement — “I'm glad you're coming” — so there is nothing to switch and no warning that anything is due. Worse, the rule you were given at B1 was “doubt takes the subjunctive”, and here you do not doubt a thing: they ARE coming. That rule is what keeps producing “me alegro de que vienes”.