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The Imperfect Subjunctive: An Overview
The imperfect, or past, subjunctive is the simple past subjunctive in Spanish. It is subject to conditions similar to those governing the present subjunctive, i.e. it normally occurs in complex sentences with changes of subject and with appropriate verbs or conditions expressed or implied by the main verb in the independent clause.
If the verb in the main clause is in one of the past tenses or if it refers to the past, and if the subjunctive is required in the subordinate clause, the main verb will be expressed in the imperfect subjunctive.
The Imperfect Subjunctive: Formation
The endings of the imperfect subjunctive are the same for -ar,
-er, and -ir verbs. One simply adds the appropriate ending
to the preterite tense verb stem to
arrive at the proper form. There are no irregular endings, but there
are numerous irregular stems. The stem to which the forms are added
is the third person plural of the preterite tense, less the final
-ron. To this stem add:
Singular
- -ra
- -ras
- -ra
Plural
- -´ramos
- -rais
- -ran
A second set of less commonly used endings is also available. They
are:
Singular
- -se
- -ses
- -se
Plural
- -´semos
- -seis
- -sen
Some examples of the imperfect subjunctive follow, as applied to both regular and irregular verbs:
- llegar: llegara, llegaras, llegara, llegáramos, llegarais, llegaran
- andar: anduviera, anduvieras, anduviera, anduviéramos, anduvierais, anduvieran
- contar: contase, contases, contase, contásemos, contaseis, contasen
- comer: comiera, comieras, comiera, comiéramos, comierais, comieran
- saber: supiera, supieras, supiera, supiéramos, supierais, supieran
- traer: trajese, trajeses, trajese, trajésemos, trajeseis, trajesen
- vivir: viviera, vivieras, viviera, viviéramos, vivierais, vivieran
- ir: fuera, fueras, fuera, fuéramos, fuerais, fueran
- dormir: durmiese, durmieses, durmiese, durmiésemos, durmieseis, durmiesen
All of the conditions that require the use of the present
subjunctive (i.e. sentence structure, change of subject, and
appropriate verb/conditions) apply to the use of the imperfect
subjunctive. The primary difference in its use is governed by the
logic of the sentence, also known as the
"sequence of tenses." If all conditions for
the use of the subjunctive are met in a sentence and the tense of the
verb in the main clause is in the past (preterite,
imperfect, pluperfect,
or conditional), the imperfect
subjunctive will follow.
- Yo quería que ellos conocieran a mis amigos. (I wanted them to meet my friends.)
- Era urgente que ellas leyeran el libro. (It was urgent that they read the book.)
- Estábamos buscando un apartamento que tuviera dos pisos. (We were looking for a two-story apartment.)
- Salimos del edificio sin que ellos lo supieran. (We left the building without their knowing it.)
- ¡Ojalá que recibieran el paquete a tiempo! (I hope they received the package in time!)
The imperfect subjunctive can also follow a main clause containing
a verb in the present if the reference is clearly to the past:
- Espero que no se hicieran daño. (I hope they didn't hurt themselves.)
- Es importante que él pagara la cuenta. (It is important that he paid the bill.)
1. Clauses introduced by the word si (if) require the
imperfect subjunctive or pluperfect
subjunctive if the main clause contains the conditional
or conditional perfect.
In the following sentence structures the usual requirements for the
use of the subjunctive do not apply.
- Yo le daría la respuesta si la supiera.
- Yo me habría paseado por el parque si no hubiera llovido tanto. (Sometimes speakers render a sentence like this with both auxiliary verbs in the imperfect subjunctive. That is, Yo me hubiera paseado por el parque si no hubiera llovido tanto.)
2. The imperfect subjunctive always
follows como si (as if).
- Los políticos hablan como si tuvieran todas las respuestas.
- Ella me lo dijo como si estuviera cansada.
3. The imperfect subjunctive is often used to soften a request or
an assertion.
- Quisiera una botella de vino tinto con el bistec.
- Usted debiera escuchar con mucho cuidado.
Related topic:
"If" constructions
Imperfect indicative
Preterite
Present subjunctive
Verbs
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