Transcript Imperfect Subjunctive

Imperfect
Subjunctive
Has 3 main uses!!!
1.
In “if…then” statements (using the conditional)
and with the conjunction como si..
Examples:
• Si tuviera dinero, iría contigo.
If I had money, I would go with you.
• Me escucha como si fuera su profesor.
He listens to me as if I were his teacher.
2
Make a very polite request or suggestion (only
with the verbs deber, poder, and querer).
Examples:
• Quisiera dos libros, por favor. I'd like two books,
please.
• ¿Pudiera Ud. ayudarnos? Could you (possibly)
help us?
3
• To express subjectivity
(opinion/doubt/emotion/indirect command)
• For the imperfect subjunctive to be needed
after “que,” the verb in the main clause has
to be in: preterite, imperfect, conditional, or
pluperfect.
Examples:
• Quería que lo hicieras. I wanted you to do it.
• Fue una lástima que no pudiera venir. It was
too bad that he couldn't come.
Forming the Imperfect Subjunctive
Forming the imperfect subjunctive is very easy . . . if you’ve
mastered forming the subjunctive, which is very hard.
To form the imperfect subjunctive, go to the third person plural
of the preterit:
hablé
hablaste
habló
hablamos
hablasteis
hablaron
comí
comiste
comió
comimos
comisteis
comieron
Drop the –ron and add the following endings (same for –ar, -er,
-ir verbs):
-ra -΄ramos
-ras -rais
-ra -ran
hablara habláramos
hablaras hablarais
hablara hablaran
comiera comiéramos
comieras comierais
comiera comieran
There are no exceptions, no irregularities.
However, there are lots of irregulars and stemchanging verbs in the preterit, such as the
following:
fueron
supieron
durmieron
pidieron
leyeron
estuvieron
quisieron
dijeron
Click here to go to a lesson on the preterit.
Click here to go to a brief practice exercise.
Click here to go to your homework.