Imagina Lección 6.2

 El imperfecto del subjuntivo of all verbs is formed by dropping the –ron ending from the ustedes/ellos/ellas form of the preterite and adding the past subjunctive endings.  Note that all nosotros/as forms have a written accent.

 Queríamos que el gobierno respetara los derechos humanos. We wanted the government to respect human rights.  Me pareció increíble que los conservadores perdieran las elecciones. It seemed unbelievable to me that the conservatives lost the election.

 Verbs that have stem changes or irregularities in the ustedes/ellos/ellas form of the preterite have those same irregularities in all forms of the past subjunctive. infinitivepreterite formpast subjunctive forms pedirpidieronpidiera, pidieras, pidiera, pidiéramos, pidierais, pidieran sentirsintieronsintiera, sintieras, sintiera, sintiéramos, sintierais, sintieran dormirdurmierondurmiera, durmieras, durmiera, durmiéramos, durmierais, durmieran influirinfluyeroninfluyera, influyeras, influyera, influyéramos, influyerais, influyeran sabersupieronsupiera, supieras, supiera, supiéramos, supierais, supieran ir/serfueronfuera, fueras, fuera, fuéramos, fuerais, fueran

IIn Spain and other parts of the Spanish-speaking world, the past subjunctive is also used with an alternate set of endings: ––se-semos ––ses-seis  –se-sen YYou will also see these forms in literary texts.

 Mariano me pidió que fuera/fuese con él al tribunal. Mariano asked me to go with him to court.  Nadie creyó que estuviéramos/estuviésemos entre los manifestantes. No one believed that we were among the demonstrators.

 The past subjunctive is required in the same contexts as the present subjunctive, except that the point of reference is in the past.  When the verb in the main clause is in the past, the verb in the subordinate clause is in the past subjunctive.

 Ellos sugieren que vayamos a la reunión. They suggest that we go to the meeting.  Espero que no tengan problemas con los políticos. I hope they won’t have any problems with the politicians. EEllos sugirieron que fuéramos a la reunión. They suggested that we go to the meeting. EEsperaba que no tuvieran problemas con los políticos. I was hoping they wouldn’t have any problems with the politicians.

 Necesitamos un presidente que apoye nuestra causa. W e need a president who will support our cause.  Tú la defiendes aunque sea culpable. You defend her even though she’s guilty.  Necesitábamos un presidente que apoyara nuestra causa. We needed a president who would support our cause.  Tú la defendiste aunque fuera culpable. You defended her even though she was guilty.

 The expression como si (as if) is always followed by the past subjunctive.  Por ejemplo:  ¿Por qué siempre me andas espiando como si fuera un ladrón? Why do you always go around spying on me as if I were a thief?

 Reaccionarán como si trajéramos malas noticias. They will react as if we brought bad news.  Me saludó como si no me conociera. She greeted me as if she didn’t know me.

 The past subjunctive is commonly used with querer to make polite requests, to express wishes, or to soften statements. Quisiera verlos hoy, por favor. Quisiéramos paz y justicia para nuestro pueblo. I’d like to see you today, please. We wish for peace and justice for our people.

 Si + past subjunctive + conditional (would) When using the past subjunctive of querer or the conditional of any verb in a main clause, use the past subjunctive in the subordinate clause. Quisiéramos que volvieran mañana. We’d like you to return tomorrow. Sería mejor que me dijeras la verdad. It would be better for you to tell me the truth. ¡ATENCIÓN!