The Present Subjunctive of Reñir is used to express desires, doubts, or uncertainties about arguing or scolding, for example: Espero que no riñas con tu hermano. (I hope you don’t argue with your brother.)

Reñir is an e to i stem-changing verb, meaning the e in the stem changes to i in certain conjugations of the present subjunctive.

Conjugations

Conjugations of Reñir (to scold) in the Subjunctive Mood tense (Latin American Spanish):

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

To argue or quarrel: For example, Es importante que no riñan por tonterías. (It’s important that they don’t argue over silly things.) This is one of the most common meanings, referring to having a heated disagreement or fight with someone.

To scold or reprimand: For example, Espero que el jefe no me riña por llegar tarde. (I hope the boss doesn’t scold me for being late.) This meaning implies scolding or criticizing someone, often in a harsh manner.

To clash or conflict (figurative): For example, Sus ideas riñen con las normas sociales. (Their ideas clash with social norms.) This figurative usage refers to two contrasting concepts that are incompatible or contradictory.

To bicker or squabble (colloquial): For example, Esos dos siempre andan riñendo por cualquier cosa. (Those two are always bickering over anything.) In informal contexts, it can mean to engage in petty or trivial arguments.

To reprimand harshly (rude): For example, ¡Cállate o te voy a reñir a golpes! (Shut up or I’ll beat you up!) This crude meaning implies a harsh, physical reprimand or threat of violence.

Examples

Examples of Reñir in the Subjunctive Mood

Espero que nadie riña a los niños por jugar en el parque. (I hope no one scolds the children for playing in the park.)

Es importante que tú riñas a tu hijo cuando se porte mal. (It’s important that you scold your child when they misbehave.)

Aunque el profesor riña a los estudiantes por llegar tarde, ellos deben aceptar la consecuencia. (Even if the teacher scolds the students for being late, they must accept the consequence.)

Ojalá que los padres no riñan a sus hijos por pequeños errores. (Hopefully parents don’t scold their children for small mistakes.)

Es necesario que riñamos a nuestros amigos cuando hagan algo incorrecto. (It’s necessary that we scold our friends when they do something wrong.)

El jefe sugirió que riñan a los empleados que lleguen tarde con frecuencia. (The boss suggested that they scold the employees who are frequently late.)

Aunque los vecinos riñan por el ruido, los jóvenes seguirán haciendo fiestas. (Even if the neighbors scold them for the noise, the young people will keep having parties.)

Para que los niños aprendan, es mejor que sus padres riñan con amor y paciencia. (For children to learn, it’s better if their parents scold with love and patience.)

Si el entrenador riñe al equipo por perder, ellos se esforzarán más la próxima vez. (If the coach scolds the team for losing, they will try harder next time.)

Dudo que la policía riña a los manifestantes pacíficos por protestar. (I doubt the police will scold the peaceful protesters for demonstrating.)

Tal vez los maestros riñan a los estudiantes por usar el celular en clase. (Maybe the teachers will scold the students for using their cell phones in class.)

Es importante que los líderes riñan a quienes inciten al odio y la violencia. (It’s important that leaders scold those who incite hatred and violence.)

Ojalá que los padres riñan con firmeza cuando sus hijos digan mentiras. (Hopefully parents will scold firmly when their children tell lies.)

Conjugations with English Translations

Conjugations of Reñir (to scold) 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.