Español 4, Segundo Semestre
The Imperfect Subjunctive--H.O.#19
Use the Imperfect Subjunctive when the context of the sentence is in the past!
Remember that the imperfect tense is considered a past tense.
Compare the following
Present Subjunctive
Imperfect Subjunctive
Los padrinos quieren que felicitemos
al graduando.
Los padrinos querían que
felicitáramos al graduando.
La madre de la graduanda sugiere
que hagamos el brindis.
La madre de la graduanda sugirió
que hiciéramos el brindis.
To form the Imperfect Subjunctive, begin with the preterite tense, specifically the
« ellos/ellas/ustedes » form. Drop the –ron and add the following endings: -ra, -ras, -ra, -ramos, ran. These endings are the same for all three types of infinitives: -ar,-er, & -ir and for the
irregular verbs as well.
If a verb is irregular in the ellos/ellas/uds form of the preterite, like the verb ir (fui, fuiste,
fue, fuimos, fueron), it will also be irregular in the Imperfect Subjunctive (fuera, fueras, fuera,
fuéramos, fueran). Be sure to use an accent mark on the “we” form before adding -ramos.
I. Conjugate the following verbs in the Imperfect Subjunctive. Remember, only –ir verbs
stem-change in the preterite tense and therefore these same verbs will continue to stemchange in the imperfect subjunctive--stem-change to a single vowel only (i or u).
Sacar
sacara
Llegar
Entender
Repetir
entendieras
llegara
repitiera
sacaran
Servir
Pedir
Vestirse
me vistiera
Seguir
siguiera
se vistieran
siguieran
pidieras
sirvieran
Preferir
prefiriera
Despedirse
me despidiera
Morir
Dormir
murieras
nos despidiéramos
prefirieran
durmieran
II. Conjugate the following irregulars in the imperfect subjunctive. ( These are the
same as the preterite! Remember to start off with the they form of the preterite
irregular form before adding –ra, -ras, -ra, -ramos, -ran!)
Ser/Ir
Dar
Ver
viera
Querer
quisieras
fuéramos
*fueron
Hacer
hiciera
diéramos
dieron
Venir
viniera
vieron
Poner
quisieron
Poder
pusieras
pudiéramos
hicieran
hicieron
Saber
vinieran
vinieron
*Decir
pusieron
pudieron
*Traer
*Conducir
condujeras
trajera
supiéramos
supieron
Tener
dijéramos
*
*dijeron
Estar
*
*trajeron
*
*condujeron
Andar
anduvieras
estuviera
tuviéramos
tuvieron
estuvieron
anduvieron
Fui Di Vi
Quise, Hice, Vine yo
Puse, Pude, Supe yo
*Dije, Traje, Conduje yo
Tuve, Estuve, Anduve yo
Pretérito,
Irregular
All: ¡Ya yo se los verbos, olé!
III. Translate the following sentences using the Preterite or Imperfect in the first clause and
the Imperfect Subjunctive in the second clause. This mood is for actions that you hope would be
completed in the past.
1st Subject
+
1st Verb
Preterite /
Imperfect
+
que
*Me alegré de que él tomara su píldora.
+
2nd Subject
+
Different than
1st Subj
2nd Verb
Imperfect
Subjunctive
I was glad he would take his pill. (Imperfect Subj.)
1. I doubted that he would cry during his doctor appointment
(appointment with the doctor).
_____________________________________________________________________________
2. She hoped that I would not brake my arm.
_____________________________________________________________________________
3. It was a shame that he would have a stomach ache.
_____________________________________________________________________________
4. It was improbable that she would sneeze in his thermometer.
_____________________________________________________________________________
5. It was impossible that the patient would bleed so much.
_____________________________________________________________________________
6. The doctor doubted that I would chew (masticar) my pills.
_____________________________________________________________________________
7. It was rare that the child would cough all night.
_____________________________________________________________________________
8. It was bad that she would take out
(sacar)
her own stitches.
_____________________________________________________________________________
9. I was sorry that Ramón would have surgery.
_____________________________________________________________________________
Español 4
The Subjunctives Distinguished—H.O.#21
Following are triggers for the subjunctives. It is the same triggers that trigger all of the subjunctives (present subjunctive, present
perfect subjunctive, imperfect subjunctive and pluperfect subjunctive).
IV. Define the following triggers that trigger all of the subjunctives. You can define most by memory but I’ve helped you get started.
Impersonal Expressions
Emotion Exp.
Hope, wish, want, recommend Exp
Doubt Expressions
Subjunctive w/relative clauses
It’s good that
Es bueno que
It’s important that
Es importante que
It’s logical that
Es lógico que
It’s bad that
It’s ridiculous that
To allow
Continued
*I doubt that
No hay…que…
It’s sad that
To demand
To want
*I don’t think that
It’s a shame that
To insist on
To recommend
It’s not certain that
No hay nadie que…
There’s no one that…
No hay nada que…
*I hope that
To oppose
It’s not sure that
No hay ningún/a …que…
It’s better that
*I’m happy that
To prohibit
To suggest
Sugerir (ie/i)
To permit
It’s not true that
¿Hay alguién que…?
It’s necessary that
Hopefully
**Maybe
Buscar
It’s dangerous that
*I’m sorry that
**Perhaps
Necesitar
It’s possible that
*I’m afraid that
To beg
Rogar
To plead
Suplicar
To advise
It’s probable that
It’s a pity that
Es una lástima que
It’s rare that
To want
To hope, wait
To order, send
To request
¿Conocer…?
The Subjunctives Distinguished
In the
context
of the
present
tense
Present Subjunctive
I hope that he studies.
Espero que él estudie.
*Present Perfect Subjunctive
I hope that he has studied.
Espero que él haya estudiado.
In the
context
of the
past
tense
Imperfect Subjunctive
I hoped that he would study. Esperé que él estudiara.
*Past Perfect
(Pluperfect)
Subjunctive I hoped that he had studied. Esperé que él hubiera estudiado.
*The action has been completed in both the present perfect and past perfect subjunctives. The
difference between the two is the context of time in which the actions were completed—present or past!
(Remember that the “perfect”/compound tenses are for completed actions.
Also, remember that the subjunctives disguise themselves as different tenses.)
V. Translate the following sentences using the correct subjunctive mood depending both on the context of
time and completed actions.
1. It’s necessary that I finish my homework on
(a)
time.
____________________________________________________________________________________
2. It’s possible that he has finished his homework on (a) time.
____________________________________________________________________________________
4. It was a pity that she did not finish her homework on
(a)
time.
____________________________________________________________________________________
5. It was a pity that she had not finished her homework on (a) time
____________________________________________________________________________________
6. She advised that I speak only (solamente) Spanish.
____________________________________________________________________________________
7. It was rare (as in strange) that he bathed at school.
____________________________________________________________________________________
8. It’s not true that he has graduated from college (universidad).
____________________________________________________________________________________
9. I recommend that we relax (relajarse).
____________________________________________________________________________________
10. It wasn’t certain that the store had closed.
____________________________________________________________________________________
11. ¿Is there someone here that can play (tocar) the piano?
____________________________________________________________________________________
12. We are looking for a secretary that can type (escribir) eighty words a minute.
____________________________________________________________________________________