Español IV/V
Imperfect Subjunctive & other helpful info re: subjunctive tenses
To form Imperfect Subjunctive:
1) Begin with <ellos> form from the preterite tense (i.e. hablaron)
2) Remove the –ron part of the preterite form
3) Add these endings:
 (Note: accent over the vowel preceding this ending)
-ra
-‘ramos
-ras
-rais
-ra
-ran
***May also see these endings, especially in literature
-se
-‘semos
-ses
-seis
-se
-sen
When we use it:

When the governing verb is in a past tense and the subjunctive is required for the situation
(A WEDDING + U)
1) Noun clauses require subjunctive after verbs of influence, emotion, doubt, and denial (i.e. Quería que ellas
lo hicieran.) (I wanted them to do it.)
2) Adverbial clauses (time, purpose, etc.) require subjunctive when the action in the adverbial clause is
viewed as anticipated or hypothetical (cuando, después que, mientras, para que, sin que, con tal que)
(i.e. Lo hicimos para que vinieran.) (We did it so they would come.)
3) Adjectival clauses require subjunctive when there is a negated or indefinite antecedent
(i.e. No había nada aquí que me gustara.) (There was nothing there I liked.)
(i.e. Buscábamos una criada que hablara español. (We were looking for a maid who spoke Spanish.)
Past perfect subjunctive (Pluperfect subjunctive)
To form it: imperfect subjunctive form of <haber> + past participle
hubiera
hubiéramos
hubieras
hubierais
+
-ado/-ido (Don’t forget about those irregular ones!)
hubiera
hubieran
Uses of past perfect subjunctive:

Similar to present perfect subjunctive, this tense may be used to indicate an action or state that
occurred prior to something in the past
(i.e. Dudábamos que hubieran llegado.) (We doubted that they had come.)
(i.e. Nos gustó que todo hubiera salido bien.) (We were glad that all had turned out OK.)
When to use what past subjunctive:
A.
When the governing verb is in a past tense or the conditional and the subjunctive is required,
a past subjunctive is almost always used to express what had happened, may or might have happened, or
would have happened in the past.
Tense of governing verb
Subjunctive tense to use in subordinate clause
Imperfect (ind. or subj.)
Imperfect subjunctive (for a simultaneous or future state or action)
Preterite
Past perfect(ind. or subj.) Or
Conditional
Past Perfect subjunctive (for a prior state or action)
Conditional perfect
(i.e. Nos impresionó que tú cantaras.) (We were impressed that you were singing (or sang or would sing or were
going to sing.)
(Nos impresionó que tú hubieras cantado.) (We were impressed that you had sung.)
B. Remember that como si (as if) MUST be followed by one of the two past subjunctive tenses, the imperfect
or the past perfect.
(i.e. El habla como si fuera rico.) (He talks as if he were rich.)
(Ella habla como si hubiera vivido en México.) (She talks as if she has (had) lived in Mexico.)
C.
Ojalá (que) and the subjunctive


With the present subjunctive or present perfect subjunctive is used in the sense of “hope”
With two past subjunctive tenses, it means “wish” and implies that something is hypothetical or
contrary-to-fact
(i.e. Ojalá que esté aquí.) (Hopefully, she is here or might be here.)
(Ojalá que haya estado aquí.) (Hopefully, she has/may have been here.)
(Ojalá que estuviera aquí.) (I wish she were here (but she’s not).)
(Ojalá que hubiera estado aquí.) (I wish she had been here (but she hasn’t been here).)
Review for present or present perfect subjunctive tenses:

Present subjunctive (A WEDDING + U) is used when the governing verb is requesting, ordering,
suggesting, doubting, etc. a situation that is occurring at the same time or in the future

Present perfect subjunctive is used to express what has happened or will have happened in situations
requiring the subjunctive
Tense of governing verb
Present (ind. or subj.)
Pres. Perfect (ind./subj.)
Future
Future perfect
Command form
Subjunctive tense to use in subordinate clause
Present subjunctive (for simultaneous/future state or
action)
Or
Present perfect subjunctive (for a prior state or action)
(i.e. Me sorprende que Uds. bailen.) (It surprises me that you dance.(generalization)
are dancing. (right now)
will dance. (in future)
(Me sorprende que Uds. hayan bailado.) (It surprises me that you danced.)
have danced.)
Situations requiring subjunctive: Mnemonic Device (A WEDDING + U)
A (advice) W (wishes) E (emotions) D (desires) D (doubt) I (impersonal expressions) N (negations) G (goal) +
U (unknown/non-existent)
 Es posible que, Es necesario que, etc.