We use the Imperfect Subjunctive when referring to events or ideas that did not, cannot and will not happen.
The Imperfect Subjunctive uses the 3-part formula just as the Present Subjunctive does. Each one of these three components MUST be in place.
1 |
2 |
3 |
Subject #1 (indicative verb) (Select one of the WEIRDO categories) Past Tense Indicative Verb Options:1. imperfect |
Que This is the conjunction necessary to introduce the subjunctive clause |
Subject #2 + verb in the subjunctive (the person or thing in our WEIRDO world that didn't happened or couldn't happen) Verb Options: Subjunctive mood in the Past1. imperfect (past) subjunctive
[for a simultaneous or future state or action] |
There is only one set of endings in the imperfect subjunctive, regardless if the verb ends in -Ar ,-Ir or -Er.
Yo |
Tú |
Él, ella, usted |
Nosotros* |
Vosotros |
Ellos, ellas, Uds. |
| ra | ras | ra | -'ramos | rais | ran |
* Note: the Nosotros form has an accent on the vowel that immediately precedes the "r" in "-ramos."
The third person plural Ellos/as, ustedes form in the Past Subjunctive always ends in "-RAN" in as opposed to the Preterite which ends in "-RON".
We form the past subjunctive by taking the third person plural (Ellos, ellas, ustedes) form of the preterite past tense, and then adding the appropriate Imperfect subjunctive ending.
For example, let's conjugate Tener:
- We start with the Preterite 3rd person plural : Tuvieron (irregular)
- We drop the "-ron" ending: tuvie-
- We add one of the appropriate "-ra/ -ras/ -ra/ -'ramos/ -rais/ -ran" endings
- we'll use the "Tú" form for this example: Tú tuvieras
Examples of the Imperfect Subjunctive:
Yo |
Tú |
Él, ella, usted |
Nosotros |
Ellos, ellas, Uds. |
|
Hablar |
hablara | hablaras | hablara | habláramos | hablaran |
Comer |
comiera | comieras | comiera | comiéramos | comieran |
Vivir |
viviera | vivieras | viviera | viviéramos | vivieran |
| We use the Past (Imperfect) Subjunctive in the dependent clause (following "que") when the main clause (Subject #1) is in the past tense [the Preterite, the Imperfect or the Conditional.] | Past Imperfect Subjunctive |
Preterite |
Yo le recomendé que él bebiera cuatro vasos de agua cada día. |
Imperfect |
Yo quería que él bebiera cuatro vasos de agua cada día. |
Conditional |
Yo querría que él bebiera cuatro vasos de agua cada día. |
Past Perfect |
Yo había querido que él bebiera cuatro vasos de agua cada día. |
Remember that the word "que" introduces the dependent clause.
The Present Subjunctive refers to things which MAY still happen (however unlikely!)
| We use the Present Subjunctive when the main clause is in the present tense: | Present Subjunctive |
Present |
Quiero que él beba cuatro vasos de agua cada día |
Present Perfect |
Yo le he recomendado que él beba cuatro vasos de agua cada día |
Future |
Le voy a recomendar que él beba cuatro vasos de agua cada día |
Future |
Yo le recomendaré que él beba cuatro vasos de agua cada día |