The imperfect subjunctive The imperfect subjunctive Mosaicos, p. 539
Introduction Preterit (3rd person plural) form hablaron Drop the ending (-on) Infinitive (To talk) Hablar The past subjunctive is also called imperfect subjunctive. Formation: The imperfect subjunctive is formed based on the third person plural form (Ellos, ellas, Ustedes) of the preterit. Add new endings -a -as -a -amos -rais -ran Imperfect subjunctive hablara hablaras Hablara Habláramos hablarais hablaran
a as Bebieron bebier + a amos rais ran Another example Beber Preterit 3er person plural VerbChange endingsImperfect subjunctive bebieron bebiera bebieras bebiera bebiéramos bebierais bebieran
More examples Preterit 3er person plural Verb Change endings Imperfect subjunctive escribieraescribiéramos Escribir escribieron escribie- escribierasescribierais escribiera escribieran cantaracantáramos Cantar cantaron cantar- cantarascantarais cantara cantaran
Ser, ir, estar and haber with imperfect subjunctive Preterit 3er person plural Verb Change endings Imperfect subjunctive SER-IR fuera fueras fuera fuéramos fuerais fueran ESTAR estuviera estuvieras estuviera estuviéramos estuvierais estuvieran HABER hubiera hubieras hubiera hubiéramos hubierais hubieran
The tense that is used in the main sentence, helps us to select the tense we need to use in the subordinate clause: Present subjunctive: When the verb of the main sentence expresses a concept about the subordinate clause in the present tense of indicative, then we use present subjunctive in the subordinate clause. Mis padres quieren que yo estudie idiomas (My parents want me to study languages) Imperfect subjunctive: When the verb of the main sentence expresses a concept about the subordinate clause in the past tense (preterit or imperfect) of indicative, then we use imperfect subjunctive in the subordinate clause. Mis padres querían que yo estudiara idiomas (My parents wanted me to study languages) When do we need to use the imperfect subjunctive? Present indicativePresent subjunctive Imperfect indicativeImperfect subjunctive
como si Although the verb in the main sentence may be in the present or in the past, use always past subjunctive after the expression como si (as if, as though). Elisa canta como si fuera una profesional (Elisa sings as if she was a professional) Present indicativeImperfect subjunctive Elisa cantó como si fuera una profesional (Elisa sang as if she was a professional) Preterit indicativeImperfect subjunctive
Present and imperfect subjunctive: examples Present indicative + Present subjunctive Past (imperfect,preterit) indicative + Imperfect subjunctive Deseo que tengas buena salud (I hope you have good health) Deseaba que tuvieras buena salud (I hoped you had good health) Es importante que vayas a clase (Its important that you go to class) Era importante que fueras a clase (It was important that you went to class) Quiero que me ayudes (I want you to help me) Quise que me ayudaras (I wanted you to helped me) Espero que Ana venga a la fiesta (I hope Ana comes to the party) Esperaba que Ana viniera a la fiesta (I hoped Ana came to the party)
____________________ Tener, pedir, comprar Can you conjugate the following verbs in the imperfect subjunctive form? TenerPedirComprar ____________________ tuviera tuvieras tuviera tuviéramos tuvierais tuvieran pidiera pidieras pidiera pidiéramos pidierais pidieran comprara compraras comprara compráramos comprarais compraran
Práctica Espero que mi compañera ___________ su habitación. Era importante que la casa _____________ grande. Deseaba que mi padre ______________ a verme el fin de semana. a. limpiee. vinierai. sea b. limpiaf. vienenj. fuera c. limpiarag. vengank. es d. limpióh. vinieronl. era
Práctica (cont.) Espero que mi compañera ___________ su habitación. Era importante que la casa _____________ grande. Deseaba que mi padre ______________ a verme el fin de semana. a. limpiee. vinierai. sea b. limpiaf. vienej. fuera c. limpiarag. vengak. es d. limpióh. vinol. era
¡Buen trabajo! Hoy hemos aprendido a usar el imperfecto de subjuntivo.