16.3 The past subjunctive
ANTE TODO
 You will now learn how to form and use the past
subjunctive (el pretérito imperfecto de subjuntivo),
also called the imperfect subjunctive.
 Like the present subjunctive, the past subjunctive is used
mainly in multiple-clause sentences which express
states and conditions such as will, influence, emotion,
commands, indefiniteness, and non-existence.
16.3 The past subjunctive
The past subjunctive is used in the same contexts and
situations as the present subjunctive and the present
perfect subjunctive, except that it generally describes
actions, events, or conditions that have already
happened.
In other words, the verb in the second clause (dependent)
must refer to the past.
16.3 The past subjunctive
Era importante que estudiáramos. (Impersonal expression)
It was important for us to study./It was important that we studied.
Me pidieron que no llegara tarde. (Verb of will)
They asked me not to arrive late.
Me sorprendió que ustedes no vinieran a la cena.(Verb of emotion)
It surprised me that you didn’t come to the dinner.
No creías que ellos trabajaran mucho. (Verb of doubt, denial, uncertainty)
You didn’t believe that they worked much.
Salió antes de que yo pudiera hablar contigo. (Conjunctions: ESCAPA/ChadAte)
He left before I could talk to you.
Buscaban un profesor que supiera hablar español. (Fantasma/adjective clause)
They were looking for a teacher who knew how to speak Spanish.
16.3 The past subjunctive
If the verb in the first clause is in the preterit,
imperfect, conditional, pluperfect, or conditional
perfect, and the sentence calls for subjunctive in
the second clause, the verb in the second clause
MUST BE a past subjunctive.
Me sorprendió de que llegaras a tiempo.
It surprised me that you arrived on time.
16.3 The past subjunctive
If the verb in the first clause is present, present
perfect, future, future perfect or command forms,
and the sentence calls for subjunctive, the verb
in the second clause must be in the past
subjunctive ONLY IF it refers past action.
Me alegro de que llegaras a tiempo.
I am happy that you arrived.
16.3 The past subjunctive
If the sentence calls for the subjunctive, and if the
verb in the main clause is in the:
Then use:
present/present perfect/future/future
perfect/command form
a present or past subjunctive* (i.e. present
subjunctive, present perfect subjunctive, imperfect
subjunctive, or past perfect subjunctive.)
*The action in the dependent clause must be in
the past to call for past subjunctive:
I’m glad (now) that you sang last night. =
Me alegro (ahora) de que cantaras anoche.
However, if the sentence calls for the subjunctive,
and if the verb in the main clause is in the:
Preterit
Imperfect
Pluperfect
Conditional
Conditional perfect
Then you must use:
A past subjunctive (i.e., imperfect subjunctive
or past perfect subjunctive)
16.3 The past subjunctive
 The past subjunctive is formed using the Uds. / ellos / ellas form
of the preterit. By dropping the –on ending from this preterit form,
you establish the stem of all the past subjunctive forms. To this
stem you then add the past subjunctive endings.
 The past subjunctive endings are the same for all verbs.
-a
-as
-a
-amos
-ais
-an
INFINITIVE
PRETERITE FORM
STEM
PAST SUBJUNCTIVE
hablar
beber
escribir
ellos hablaron
ellos bebieron
ellos escribieron
hablar- hablara …etc.
bebier- bebiera …etc.
escribier- escribiera…etc.
16.3 The past subjunctive
¡ATENCIÓN!
Note that the nosotros/as forms of the past subjunctive
always has a written accent on the vowel right before the
letter “r.”
-ar
-áramos
-er/-ir
-iéramos/yéramos
16.3 The past subjunctive
estudiar
aprender
recibir
yo
estudiara
aprendiera
recibiera
tú
estudiaras
aprendieras
recibieras
Ud. / él / ella
estudiara
aprendiera
recibiera
SINGULAR FORMS
PLURAL FORMS
nosotros/as
estudiáramos aprendiéramos recibiéramos
vosotros/as
estudiarais
aprendierais
recibierais
Uds. / ellos / ellas
estudiaran
aprendieran
recibieran
16.3 The past subjunctive
 For verbs with irregular preterit forms, add the past subjunctive
endings to the irregular stem. Don’t forget the nosotros accents.
INFINITIVE
dar
decir
estar
hacer
ir/ser
poder
poner
querer
saber
tener
venir
PRETERITE FORM
dieron
dijeron
estuvieron
hicieron
fueron
pudieron
pusieron
quisieron
supieron
tuvieron
vinieron
STEM
PAST SUBJUNCTIVE (a, as, a, amos,ais,an)
dierdijerestuvierhicierfuerpudierpusierquisiersupiertuviervinier-
diera…etc.
dijera…etc.
estuviera…etc.
hiciera…etc.
fuera…etc.
pudiera…etc.
pusiera…etc.
quisiera…etc.
supiera…etc.
tuviera…etc.
viniera…etc.
16.3 The past subjunctive
 The –ir stem-changing verbs and other verbs with spelling changes follow
a similar process to form the past subjunctive. Don’t forget the accents on
nosotros.
INFINITIVE
preferir
repetir
dormir
conducir
creer
destruir
oír
PRETERITE FORM STEM
prefirieron
repitieron
durmieron
condujeron
creyeron
destruyeron
oyeron
prefirierrepitierdurmiercondujercreyerdestruyeroyer-
PAST SUBJUNCTIVE (a,as, a, amos, ais, an)
prefiriera…etc.
repitiera…etc.
durmiera…etc.
condujera…etc.
creyera…etc.
destruyera…etc.
oyera…etc.
16.3 The past subjunctive
¡INTÉNTALO! Indica la forma apropiada del pretérito imperfecto
de subjuntivo de los verbos entre paréntesis.
1. Quería que tú ____ (venir) más temprano.
vinieras
2. Esperábamos que ustedes ____ (hablar) mucho más en la reunión.
hablaran
3. No creían que yo ____ (poder) hacerlo.
pudiera
16.3 The past subjunctive
4. Sentí mucho que ustedes no ____ (estar) con
nosotros anoche.
estuvieran
5. No era necesario que ellas ____ (hacer) todo.
hicieran
6. Me pareció increíble que tú ____ (saber) dónde
encontrarlo.
supieras
16.3 The past subjunctive
7. No había nadie que ____ (creer) tu historia.
creyera
8. Mis padres insistieron en que yo ____ (ir) a la universidad.
fuera
9. Queríamos salir antes de que ustedes ____ (llegar).
llegaran
10. Esperabas que nosotros no _________(tener) exámenes.
tuviéramos