Finally...
A Reliable System
for Deciding
When to Use
the Subjunctive
in Spanish
Without memorizing
endless trigger words,
rules,
acronyms, and exceptions.
And without constantly wondering
whether you’re doing it right.
Instant access • Lifetime access •
90-Day “Test It In Real Life” Guarantee
If you’ve studied Spanish for any length of time, you already know something:
The subjunctive is different.
It’s not like ser vs. estar.
It’s not like por vs. para.
It’s not even like learning verb tenses.
The subjunctive is its own world.
For many Spanish learners, it becomes a black cloud hanging over everything.
You can learn the present tense.
You can learn the past tenses.
You can learn object pronouns.
You can learn por vs. para.
You can even become conversational.
But sooner or later...
The subjunctive shows up.
And suddenly you’re back to feeling confused.
Back to feeling uncertain.
Back to wondering if you’re ever really going to “get it”.
I know exactly how that feels because I lived it.
For years.
Actually, for almost twenty years.
I studied the subjunctive at five different Spanish immersion schools.
I bought practically every subjunctive book I could get my hands on.
Some of them were obscure enough that I paid ridiculous prices just to get a copy.
And after all that?
I was still confused.
Not because I wasn’t trying.
Not because I wasn’t studying.
Not because I wasn’t smart enough.
I was confused because something didn’t add up.
The explanations never seemed to match reality.
One teacher told me one thing.
A book told me something different.
A website said something else entirely.
Then I’d encounter a real-world example that didn’t seem to fit any of it.
The deeper I went...
The more confused I became.
And eventually I realized something.
The problem wasn’t me.
The problem was the way the subjunctive was being taught.
The Dirty Little Secret About Most Subjunctive Lessons
Most subjunctive lessons are built around memorization.
Memorize this trigger.
Memorize that phrase.
Memorize this rule.
Memorize this exception.
Memorize this acronym.
Memorize this special case.
Then memorize the exceptions to the exceptions.
Sound familiar?
One of the most popular examples is WEIRDO.
You might’ve encountered it before.
Many teachers present WEIRDO as if it’s the key to understanding the subjunctive.
Some lessons practically begin and end there.
The problem?
WEIRDO only applies to one category of subjunctive situations.
Not all of them.
In other words...
We’re often given a partial explanation as if it’s a complete explanation.
No wonder everybody ends up confused.
No wonder there are contradictions.
No wonder people feel like they understand the subjunctive one day and don’t understand it the next.
We’re asked to memorize hundreds of examples individually without ever being shown what’s actually connecting those examples together.
An Advanced Student (C1)
Said It Best...
“I had a handle on this topic,
but this made it make sense.”Laura G.
The Question That Changed Everything
Eventually I became obsessed.
And I mean obsessed.
For an entire year, this became my primary focus.
I stayed up late, like a mad scientist.
I went through books.
I went through TV shows.
I went through movies.
I went through newspapers.
I went through real-world Spanish looking for one thing:
What is ACTUALLY causing the subjunctive?
Not the triggers.
Not the acronyms.
Not the symptoms.
The true cause.
Or at least a small number of causes.
And the more examples I studied, the more convinced I became:
There had to be something deeper going on underneath all of it.
There had to be a pattern.
There had to be a system.
And eventually...
I found it.
“I've been waiting many years
for Jordan specifically to teach the subjunctive.”BOB L.
Introducing…
The
4 Buckets
System
After years of confusion, frustration, teaching, testing, and obsessively studying real-world Spanish, I finally discovered something surprisingly simple:
Every potential subjunctive situation fits into one of four buckets.
Every single one.
goes into one of four buckets.
And once you understand the buckets, the system itself has just two steps:
Identify which bucket the situation fits into.
Apply the tests for that bucket.
First, identify the bucket.
Then, apply the right test.
So, each bucket has its own test.
That’s where most subjunctive lessons go wrong.
They try to explain the whole subjunctive as if it’s one giant thing.
But it’s not.
Different situations need different tests.
So with the 4 Buckets System, we don’t dump everything into one giant pile.
We separate the situations first.
Then we apply the correct test.
That’s when the subjunctive starts feeling much less chaotic.
More organized.
More logical.
Then, once you understand the buckets and the tests, I show you the deeper idea connecting them all.
I call it the Universal Question.
The thing that ties the whole system together.
And once that clicks...
The black cloud finally starts to disappear.
What Changes After The Workshop?
I’m not going to promise you’ll instantly speak like a native speaker.
I’m not going to promise you’ll never make another mistake.
That’s nonsense.
What I will promise is this:
You’ll finally understand what’s going on.
When you encounter the subjunctive in a movie… you’ll know why it’s there.
When you hear it in a podcast… you’ll know why it’s there.
When your tutor uses it… you’ll know why it’s there.
When you use it incorrectly… you’ll know exactly how to diagnose the mistake.
Instead of hearing another explanation that doesn’t fit into what you already know...
Everything starts fitting together.
“Everything is very clear and logical and makes sense.”
“You've figured out a framework for logically deducing whether a situation calls for the subjunctive.”
Because that’s what this workshop actually delivers:
Not more information.
Not more rules.
Not more memorization.
Clarity.
A framework.
A system.
And once you have the system...
Everything else becomes easier.
Now You Can Get the Full 4 Buckets System Inside...Now You Can Get the Full
4 Buckets System Inside...
What Exactly is the Subjunctive Workshop?
You get instant access to the recordings of a fun, but intense, workshop hosted by me, Jordan, The Spanish Dude.
There are five sessions, each 60-90 minutes.
You can watch whenever you want, at your own pace.
You also get lifetime access to the workshop recordings and practice materials.
Inside the workshop, I walk you through the 4 Buckets System step by step.
You’ll learn how to:
- Figure out which bucket a subjunctive situation falls into.
- Apply the right test for that bucket.
- Understand why the subjunctive is being used, or why it isn’t.
- Use the Universal Question to see the deeper idea connecting the whole system.
So by the end, you won’t just have another pile of rules to memorize.
You’ll have a reliable system for knowing when to use the subjunctive (and when not to).
What This Workshop Is NOT
This is NOT just another regurgitated WEIRDO lesson.
We will talk about WEIRDO, but only in its proper place.
WEIRDO does not explain the subjunctive in general.
That’s one of the reasons it leaves so many Spanish learners confused.
This workshop is also NOT focused on memorizing every subjunctive conjugation pattern.
The goal is different.
The goal is to help you understand WHEN to use the subjunctive and when NOT to.
So if you already know the conjugation patterns, great.
If you don’t know them perfectly yet, that’s okay too.
You’ll still be able to follow along.
But the real purpose of this workshop is not conjugation memorization.
It’s clarity.
It’s the system.
Who This Is For
- Anybody who’s been frustrated by the subjunctive before.
- Anybody who’s been putting the subjunctive off.
- Anybody who’s sick of information that doesn’t hold up in real life.
- The more you’ve already struggled with the subjunctive, the more you’ll get out of this workshop.
Who This Is Not For
- Total beginners.
- Anybody who isn’t familiar with all the normal conjugation patterns (present, preterite, imperfect, future, conditional, perfects, progressives). You don’t have to know them perfectly or know all the irregulars, but you do have to be familiar with them.
- Anybody who doesn’t want to put in the work.
But Don’t Take My Word For It…
Here’s what past students said after going through the Subjunctive Workshop:
“I've never seen your approach in all my years of studying and teaching Spanish. I don't remember any professor I've ever had teaching the Subjunctive this way. Your 4 bucket system made this SO much easier to categorize in my ADHD brain. The workshop was well researched and constructed. Thanks for doing the hard work to make the Subjunctive not so scary!!”
“This workshop was great, great, great! I loved everything about it. Jordan has a unique talent to take something as complex as the subjunctive and distill it into being understandable and practical. The classes were extremely well organized, and the worksheets were clear, succinct, and useful. His enthusiasm and confidence were contagious and inspiring. I won't hesitate for a second to attend any of his workshops.”
“No one has ever explained the subjunctive to me the way Jordan did. His four bucket process was mind-blowing and eye opening. He's nailed the subjunctive moods and given me concrete methods to improve my problem areas. I am so grateful for his dedication to the Spanish language.”
“I was struggling with the subjunctive, watching countless Youtube videos, reading books, but it has always felt like I was punching into the fog. With Jordan's “Four Bucket” approach I've been given a firm framework to focus my efforts. Learning the subjunctive will never be easy and will probably be a life-long journey, but now I feel my road is better defined.”
“This workshop totally lived up to the description. No one has ever simplified the subjunctive for me in such a useful way. With almost three years of Spanish and at a fairly conversational level, I was still unsure of so many possibly subjunctive situations. I can't wait to try out this new system while talking with my tutors! Thank you Jordan!”
“The Subjunctive Workshop was immensely helpful. Jordan thought of a new clever, straightforward way to identify when the subjunctive should be used. I always like his sparky, lively style and this was in evidence como siempre. I liked the examples, being a big fan of Better Call Saul. Well done, Jordan, I look forward to future workshops.”
Your No-Brainer,
All-Access Pass
ONE-TIME PAYMENT
Everything Included
- ✓All five workshop recordings
- ✓Lifetime access
- ✓All worksheets
- ✓All practice materials
- ✓Four Buckets System
- ✓The Three Tests
- ✓The Universal Question
- ✓90-Day "Test It In Real Life" Guarantee
90-Day “Test It In Real Life”
Money Back Guarantee
I’m so confident in the 4 Buckets System and the Subjunctive Workshop that I offer you this guarantee:
Go through the workshop.
Then go out in real life and put what you learned to the test.
Watch a movie.
Listen to a podcast.
Talk with your tutor.
Look for real subjunctive examples in the wild.
If what I show you doesn’t hold up, let me know within 90 days and I’ll refund your money.
No questions asked.
More Students Who Finally Started Making Sense Of The Subjunctive
“Jordan is brilliant. I've been studying Spanish for about three years now. Until now, I avoided the subjunctive. However, when I learned about Jordan's workshop, I signed up right away. It was worth every penny. I so appreciate how he takes complicated grammar and presents it in a very understandable and user friendly way!”
“I thoroughly enjoyed the 5-day Subjunctive workshop and was sorry to see it end. Jordan made everything clearer and simpler while still expanding it to encompass every possible use of the subjunctive. Jordan is a great teacher. He's articulate and his enthusiasm and honesty is inspiring. I can honestly say that it was FUN. I looked forward to it every morning!”
“This workshop on the subjunctive was so helpful! After years of trying, it was so helpful to have an overarching strategy presented in a logical and straightforward way. Can't say enough about Jordan's teaching style. He has such a wonderful way of presenting the structure of the Spanish language to us English speakers.”
“Yep, you were right, this is the way to learn the subjunctive… I'm at a C-1 level. I had a handle on this topic, but this made it make sense.”
Frequently Asked Questions
Got Questions About the Subjunctive Workshop?
Ready To Finally Get This Off Your Back?
The black cloud isn’t going away on its own.
You can keep collecting more trigger words.
More exceptions.
More acronyms.
More explanations that seem to work until they don’t.
Or...
You can finally learn the system that’s underneath all of it.
Your No-Brainer,
All-Access Pass
ONE-TIME PAYMENT
Everything Included
- ✓All five workshop recordings
- ✓Lifetime access
- ✓90-Day “Test It In Real Life” Guarantee
More Students Who Finally Started Making Sense Of The Subjunctive
“I've never seen your approach in all my years of studying and teaching Spanish… Your 4 bucket system made this SO much easier to categorize in my ADHD brain. The workshop was well researched and constructed. Thanks for doing the hard work to make the Subjunctive not so scary!!”
“I was struggling with the subjunctive, watching countless Youtube videos, reading books, but it has always felt like I was punching into the fog. With Jordan's 'Four Bucket' approach I've been given a firm framework to focus my efforts.”
“This workshop totally lived up to the description. No one has ever simplified the subjunctive for me in such a useful way. With almost three years of Spanish and at a fairly conversational level, I was still unsure of so many possibly subjunctive situations.”
“I wasn't able to be there live but I easily followed along with the recording and materials the next day. Jordan did a great job of breaking down how he was able to digest this tricky 'mood' of speaking.”