Not B1 subject rather C1

Question

I think this lesson should be in a C1 category as it is very subtle. I just cannot see the difference in the meaning of the first two sentences,,,,estoy&esté. Maybe you could provide better examples or explanations on this point of grammar

Answer

Hola Steve,It is subtle but the subjunctive requires us to think a bit differently. This a situation where they are just pointing out that you can use either the indicative or the subjunctive, as both are acceptable. As I understand it, since it expresses doubt quizás (perhaps, maybe) would make you think of using the subjunctive but there is flexibility in the present or future. Quizás estoy un poco nervioso is literally "maybe I am a bit nervous" which works very well in English, but because of quizás it pushes the translation to reflect that doubt ... "I may be a bit nervous."Quizás esté un poco nervioso would translate literally as "perhaps / maybe I be a bit nervous." We used to have this construction in English and it now sounds clunky; for example the characters in Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson spring to mind at the sound of it ! You can see how the teachers underlined the "be" to emphasise this usage, in the lesson giving "I may be a bit nervous."It is a lot to get your head around but I'm still in the process of getting there too. The Subjunctive is an important topic in Spanish.SaludosJohn

Answer

Hi John, thanks for that.I shall persevere.