Using Qué + noun/adjective/adverb + que + subjunctive to express feelings

Learn how to use qué with the subjunctive to express feelings in Spanish

To express how we feel about something (e.g. happiness, sadness, surprise) we can use this structure:

¡Qué + noun/adjective + que + Modo subjuntivo!

For example:

¡Qué pena que no puedas venir a mi boda!It's a pity that you can't come to my wedding!

¡Qué raro que las luces estén encendidas! ¿Habrá algún intruso?How odd that the lights are on! Maybe there's an intruder...

¡Qué bien que te hayan seleccionado!It's great that you have been selected!

¡Qué alegría que te dijera que sí!I am so happy that she said yes!

If the speaker is referring to something happening in the present or the future, El Presente de Subjuntivo is used.

If the speaker is referring to something happening in the past, then past tenses in the subjunctive are used, e.g. El Pretérito Imperfecto Subjuntivo or El Pretérito Perfecto Subjuntivo .

Although this structure is mainly used with the subjunctive, sometimes people use the indicative with the same meaning. Using the indicative shows that the speaker is more focused on "declaring what is happening":

¡Qué bien que te han seleccionado!It is great that you have been selected!

Here, the main bit of information is that "he has been selected".

See also:

 

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Examples and resources

¡Qué pena que no puedas venir a mi boda!It's a pity that you can't come to my wedding!
¡Qué bien que te hayan seleccionado!It's great that you have been selected!
¡Qué alegría que te dijera que sí!I am so happy that she said yes!
¡Qué bien que te han seleccionado!It is great that you have been selected!
¡Qué raro que las luces estén encendidas! ¿Habrá algún intruso?How odd that the lights are on! Maybe there's an intruder...
I'll be right with you...