The Imperfect Subjunctive In Spanish - SpanishDict

Quick Answer

The imperfect subjunctive (el imperfecto de subjuntivo) follows many of the same rules as the present subjunctive. Introduced with a preterite, imperfect, conditional, or past perfect WEIRDO verb in the independent clause, the imperfect subjunctive often refers to a previous experience, but can also refer to unlikely events or possibilities.

Check out these examples of the imperfect subjunctive.

examples
Si tuviera más dinero, viajaría por todo el mundo. If I had more money, I would travel around the whole world.
Si yo fuera tú, no lo haría. If I were you, I wouldn’t do it.

Imperfect Subjunctive Forms

Finding the Imperfect Subjunctive Stem

To conjugate a verb in the imperfect subjunctive, you'll need to know the third person plural (ellos, ellas) preterite form of the verb you're using. Why? Instead of using the infinitive for a stem, the imperfect subjunctive uses the third person plural of the preterite (minus the -ron).

Imperfect Subjunctive Stem Formula

imperfect subjunctive stem = third person plural preterite form minus -ron ending

Imperfect Subjunctive Stem Examples

Here are the imperfect subjunctive stems of some common Spanish verbs.

Infinitive	Third Person Preterite Form	Imperfect Subjunctive Stem
caber	cupieron	cupie-
dar	dieron	die-
decir	dijeron	dije-
dormir	durmieron	durmie-
estar	estuvieron	estuvie-
haber	hubieron	hubie-
hablar	hablaron	habla-
hacer	hicieron	hicie-
ir	fueron	fue-
leer	leyeron	leye-
tener	tuvieron	tuvie-
pedir	pidieron	pidie-
poder	pudieron	pudie-
poner	pusieron	pusie-
preferir	prefirieron	prefirie-
querer	quisieron	quisie-
saber	supieron	supie-
sentir	sintieron	sintie-
ser	fueron	fue-
traducir	tradujeron	traduje-
traer	trajeron	traje-
ver	vieron	vie-

Imperfect Subjunctive Endings

When conjugating the imperfect subjunctive, you can choose from two different sets of endings. Both are correct, though use of the first set, whose yo ending is -ra, is more widespread.

Subject	Subjunctive 1 Endings	Subjunctive 2 Endings
yo	-ra	-se
tú	-ras	-ses
él, ella, usted	-ra	-se
nosotros	-ramos	-semos
vosotros	-rais	-seis
ellos, ellas, ustedes	-ran	-sen

Watch out for the accents

Nosotros imperfect subjunctive conjugations have a tilde on the vowel that comes immediately before the subjunctive ending. For example:

• habláramos /hablásemos

• escribiéramos/escribiésemos

Here are three common verbs conjugated in the imperfect subjunctive with each set of endings.

Subjunctive 1

Subject	Hablar	Hacer	Traducir
yo	hablara	hiciera	tradujera
tú	hablaras	hicieras	tradujeras
él, ella, usted	hablara	hiciera	tradujera
nosotros	habláramos	hiciéramos	tradujéramos
vosotros	hablarais	hicierais	tradujerais
ellos, ellas, ustedes	hablaran	hicieran	tradujeran

Subjunctive 2

Subject	Hablar	Hacer	Traducir
yo	hablase	hiciese	tradujese
tú	hablases	hicieses	tradujeses
él, ella, usted	hablase	hiciese	tradujese
nosotros	hablásemos	hiciésemos	tradujésemos
vosotros	hablaseis	hicieseis	tradujeseis
ellos, ellas, ustedes	hablasen	hiciesen	tradujesen

Imperfect Subjunctive Uses

The imperfect subjunctive can be used to talk about past occurrences, current opinions of past events, doubts and wishes, as well as in if clauses and polite requests.

1. Past Occurrences

If the WEIRDO verb in the independent clause is in the preterite or the imperfect, then the subjunctive verb that follows will be imperfect.

examples
Quería que vinieras/vinieses a mi fiesta. I wanted you to come to my party.
Tenía miedo de que no lloviera/lloviese. I was scared it wouldn't rain.
Le iba a prestar dinero para que se comprara un abrigo. I was going to lend him money so he could buy a coat.

2. Current Opinions of Past Events

The imperfect subjunctive can also be used to express current emotions, doubts, etc. about something that happened in the past.

examples
Es bueno que él se casara/casase. It's good that he got married.
No me parece que el viaje fuera/fuese largo. It doesn't seem to me that the journey was long.

3. Doubts and Wishes

It's common to see ojalá or ojalá que used with the imperfect subjunctive to express the idea of hoping for something that is unlikely to happen or is impossible.

examples
Ojalá que nevara/nevase en Panamá. I wish it were snowing in Panama.
Ojalá mi hermano se casara/casase. I wish my brother were getting married.

4. If Clauses

When preceded by si (if), the imperfect subjunctive is often used to talk about hypotheticals. Note that the other verb in these constructions is in the conditional.

examples
Si yo fuera/fuese reina, viajaría por todo el mundo. If I were queen, I would travel all over the world.
Pintaría más seguido si tuviera/tuviese más tiempo. I would paint more often if I had more time.

5. Relative Clauses

The imperfect subjunctive is used in relative clauses with a non-existent, indefinite, or negated antecedent.

examples
Buscaba una casa que tuviera/tuviese una piscina. I was looking for a house that had a pool.
No conocía a nadie que viviera/viviese en Buenos Aires. I didn’t know anyone who lived in Buenos Aires.

6. Polite Suggestions and Requests

The imperfect subjunctive can be used to make very polite suggestions or formal requests.

examples
Quisiera/Quisiese dos semanas de vacaciones. I would like two weeks of vacation.

Learn more about the subjunctive with the following articles:

• Expressing Doubt and Denial with the Subjunctive

• Expressing Uncertainty or Conditional Outcomes with the Subjunctive

• Expressing Recommendations and Requests with the Subjunctive

• Impersonal Expressions with the Subjunctive

• Spanish Future Perfect Subjunctive

• Present Perfect Subjunctive in Relative Clauses

• Spanish Future Subjunctive

• Sequence of Tenses in Spanish