Spanish grammar: subjuntivo imperfecto

What this grammar point covers

The 'subjuntivo imperfecto' in Spanish is a verb tense used to express wishes, doubts, or hypothetical situations in the past.

When to use it

Use the imperfect subjunctive in Spanish to talk about past desires, doubts, suggestions, or hypothetical situations. It often appears after certain expressions or verbs that require the subjunctive, but when the main verb is in the past.

Key forms

• Formed from the third person plural of the preterite, remove '-ron' and add: -ra, -ras, -ra, -ramos, -rais, -ran.
• Ejemplo: hablar → hablara, comer → comiera, vivir → viviera

Examples

Tips

• Remember to use the imperfect subjunctive after 'si' (if) for unreal or hypothetical situations in the past.
• Don't confuse the imperfect subjunctive with the present subjunctive; pay attention to the time reference.
• Regular and irregular verbs follow the same endings, but watch out for irregular preterite stems.

Exceptions and edge cases

• Some verbs have irregular roots from the preterite tense (e.g., 'tener' → 'tuviera', 'ir' → 'fuera').