The Subjunctive Mood of Cortar is used to express desires, doubts, or hypothetical situations, for example: Espero que cortes el césped mañana. (I hope you cut the grass tomorrow.)

Cortar is a regular -ar verb, so its conjugations in the Present Subjunctive follow the regular pattern for this verb type.

Conjugations

Conjugations of Cortar (to cut) in the Subjunctive Mood tense (Latin American Spanish):

The present subjunctive of cortar is used to express desires, doubts, demands, or hypothetical situations.

To cut or sever: For example, Espero que cortes el césped hoy. (I hope you cut the grass today.) This is the most common meaning, referring to the physical act of cutting something with a tool or object.

To interrupt: For example, Es importante que no cortes a la gente cuando habla. (It’s important that you don’t interrupt people when they’re speaking.) This usage refers to cutting someone off, or interrupting them while they are talking.

To stop or end: For example, Ojalá que cortes con esos malos hábitos. (I hope you stop those bad habits.) This meaning implies cutting something off, like ending a relationship or quitting a bad habit.

To cut off or disconnect: For example, Temo que corten la luz si no pago la factura. (I’m afraid they’ll cut off the electricity if I don’t pay the bill.) This usage refers to cutting off a utility or service due to non-payment.

To edit or shorten: For example, Sugiero que cortes algunas partes del guión para que sea más conciso. (I suggest you cut some parts of the script to make it more concise.) In this context, “cortar” means to edit or shorten something by removing parts of it.

To pass through (colloquial): For example, ¿Puedes cortar por la tienda y comprar pan? (Can you cut through the store and buy some bread?) This informal usage means to take a shortcut or pass through a place quickly.

Examples

Examples of Cortar in the Subjunctive Mood

Es importante que cortes el césped antes de que llueva. (It’s important that you mow the lawn before it rains.)

Mamá quiere que cortemos las verduras para la ensalada. (Mom wants us to chop the vegetables for the salad.)

El chef recomienda que cortes la carne en trozos pequeños para que se cocine más rápido. (The chef recommends that you cut the meat into small pieces so it cooks faster.)

Para hacer manualidades, necesitamos que corten el papel en tiras. (To make crafts, we need you to cut the paper into strips.)

Aunque no quieras, es necesario que cortes las relaciones tóxicas de tu vida. (Even if you don’t want to, it’s necessary that you cut toxic relationships out of your life.)

El instructor insiste en que cortemos las cuerdas viejas y reemplazarlas por nuevas. (The instructor insists that we cut the old ropes and replace them with new ones.)

Ojalá que corten la emisión de gases de efecto invernadero para reducir el calentamiento global. (Hopefully they cut greenhouse gas emissions to reduce global warming.)

Es fundamental que cortes los lazos con esa gente negativa si quieres progresar. (It’s essential that you cut ties with those negative people if you want to make progress.)

Sugiero que corten las piezas de madera con una sierra eléctrica para ahorrar tiempo. (I suggest that you cut the wood pieces with an electric saw to save time.)

Aunque cueste, es mejor que cortes por lo sano y termines esa relación enfermiza. (Although it’s difficult, it’s better that you cut it off and end that unhealthy relationship.)

El médico recomienda que cortemos la ingesta de azúcar para evitar problemas de salud. (The doctor recommends that we cut sugar intake to avoid health issues.)

Tal vez sea hora de que cortes el cable y te suscribas a un servicio de streaming. (Maybe it’s time that you cut the cable and subscribe to a streaming service.)

Para ahorrar energía, sugiero que corten las luces cuando no las necesiten. (To save energy, I suggest that you turn off the lights when you don’t need them.)

Aunque sea difícil, es importante que cortes los hábitos poco saludables de tu rutina. (Although it’s difficult, it’s important that you cut unhealthy habits from your routine.)

Ojalá que corten los árboles de forma responsable y replanten otros nuevos. (Hopefully they cut down trees responsibly and replant new ones.)

Conjugations with English Translations

Conjugations of Cortar (to cut) in the Subjunctive Mood tense (Latin American Spanish) with English Translations:

This post covers Latin American Spanish. For Castilian Spanish, click here

Synonyms

The Subjunctive mood is also known as the Simple Subjunctive, Subjunctive Present, or Present Subjunctive Mood in English, and as Presente de Subjuntivo, Subjuntivo Presente, Presente del Modo Subjuntivo, or Tiempo Presente del Subjuntivo in Spanish.