VerbsadvancedCEFR B2

Imperfect Subjunctive

What You'll Learn

Understand when to use the imperfect subjunctive mood
Form both the -ra and -se endings correctly
Use imperfect subjunctive in si clauses (if clauses)
Express hypothetical situations and polite requests
Navigate the relationship between past indicative and imperfect subjunctive

Overview / Usage

The imperfect subjunctive (also called past subjunctive) is used to express actions or states that are hypothetical, doubtful, or contrary to reality in the past. It's one of the most important verb forms for intermediate and advanced Spanish learners.

🎯 Key Uses of Imperfect Subjunctive

🔮 Si Clauses (If clauses)

Si tuviera dinero...

If I had money...

💭 Past WEIRDO Triggers

Quería que vinieras

I wanted you to come

Wishes, Emotions, Impersonal expressions, etc.

🎭 "Como si" (As if)

Como si fuera rico

As if he were rich

🙏 Polite Requests

Quisiera un café

I would like a coffee

⚡ Important: Two Forms Exist!

The imperfect subjunctive has TWO forms that are completely interchangeable:
• -ra form: hablara, comiera, viviera (more common in spoken Spanish, used everywhere)
• -se form: hablase, comiese, viviese (more common in literary and formal writing, especially in Spain)

In this guide, we'll focus on the -ra form as it's more widely used in everyday speech.

Structure & Formation

📋 How to Form the Imperfect Subjunctive

✓ Formation Steps:

Start with the 3rd person plural (ellos) preterite form (e.g., hablaron, comieron, vivieron)
Drop the -ron ending (e.g., habla-, comie-, vivie-)
Add the imperfect subjunctive endings

Imperfect Subjunctive Endings

Person	-ra ending	-se ending
yo	-ra	-se
tú	-ras	-ses
él/ella/usted	-ra	-se
nosotros	-ramos (accent!)	-semos
vosotros	-rais	-seis
ellos/ellas/ustedes	-ran	-sen

Regular Verbs Examples

Hablar (to speak)

yo	hablara
tú	hablaras
él/ella	hablara
nosotros	habláramos
vosotros	hablarais
ellos	hablaran

From: hablaron → habla-

Comer (to eat)

yo	comiera
tú	comieras
él/ella	comiera
nosotros	comiéramos
vosotros	comierais
ellos	comieran

From: comieron → comie-

Vivir (to live)

yo	viviera
tú	vivieras
él/ella	viviera
nosotros	viviéramos
vosotros	vivierais
ellos	vivieran

From: vivieron → vivie-

Common Irregular Verbs

Any verb with an irregular preterite will have the same irregularity in the imperfect subjunctive:

Ser/Ir (to be/to go)

yo	fuera
tú	fueras
él/ella	fuera
nosotros	fuéramos
vosotros	fuerais
ellos	fueran

From: fueron → fue-

Tener (to have)

yo	tuviera
tú	tuvieras
él/ella	tuviera
nosotros	tuviéramos
vosotros	tuvierais
ellos	tuvieran

From: tuvieron → tuvie-

Estar (to be)

yo	estuviera
tú	estuvieras
él/ella	estuviera
nosotros	estuviéramos
vosotros	estuvierais
ellos	estuvieran

From: estuvieron → estuvie-

Hacer (to do/make)

yo	hiciera
tú	hicieras
él/ella	hiciera
nosotros	hiciéramos
vosotros	hicierais
ellos	hicieran

From: hicieron → hicie-

Poder (can/to be able)

yo	pudiera
tú	pudieras
él/ella	pudiera
nosotros	pudiéramos
vosotros	pudierais
ellos	pudieran

From: pudieron → pudie-

Poner (to put)

yo	pusiera
tú	pusieras
él/ella	pusiera
nosotros	pusiéramos
vosotros	pusierais
ellos	pusieran

From: pusieron → pusie-

💡 Memory Tip:

If you know the preterite, you know the imperfect subjunctive!
Just take the ellos form of preterite, drop -ron, and add the endings.

• tuvieron → tuvie- → tuviera, tuvieras...
• dijeron → dije- → dijera, dijeras...
• fueron → fue- → fuera, fueras...

Examples

💡 Si Clauses (If Clauses)

The most common use of imperfect subjunctive is in si clauses to express hypothetical or contrary-to-fact situations.

Formula: Si + imperfect subjunctive, conditional

Si tuviera dinero, compraría una casa

If I had money, I would buy a house

(But I don't have money - hypothetical)

Si fuera rico, viajaría por el mundo

If I were rich, I would travel the world

(But I'm not rich - contrary to fact)

Si pudieras venir, sería fantástico

If you could come, it would be fantastic

(Uncertain if you can come)

Si hiciera buen tiempo, iríamos a la playa

If the weather were good, we would go to the beach

(But it's not good weather)

🎭 Como Si (As If)

Como si (as if) always requires imperfect subjunctive:

Habla como si supiera todo

He speaks as if he knew everything

Gasta dinero como si fuera rico

He spends money as if he were rich

Me mira como si no me conociera

He looks at me as if he didn't know me

⏰ Past WEIRDO Triggers

When the main clause is in the past (imperfect, preterite, conditional), the subjunctive clause uses imperfect subjunctive.

WEIRDO is a mnemonic for subjunctive triggers: Wishes, Emotions, Impersonal expressions, Recommendations, Doubt/Denial, Ojalá

Quería que vinieras

I wanted you to come

Me alegró que llegaras

I was glad that you arrived

Era necesario que estudiaras

It was necessary that you study

Dudaba que fuera verdad

I doubted that it was true

🙏 Polite Requests

Use quisiera (from querer) and pudiera (from poder) for very polite requests:

Quisiera un café, por favor

I would like a coffee, please

More polite than "quiero"

¿Pudiera ayudarme?

Could you help me?

Very formal and polite

Gotchas / Common Mistakes

❌ Using Present Subjunctive in Si Clauses

Hypothetical si clauses require imperfect subjunctive, not present subjunctive:

Wrong:

Si tenga dinero, compraría una casa

Correct:

Si tuviera dinero, compraría una casa

If I had money, I would buy a house

⚠️ Forgetting the Accent on Nosotros

The nosotros form always has an accent on the vowel before -ramos:

Wrong:

hablaramos, comieramos, vivieramos

Correct:

habláramos, comiéramos, viviéramos

💡 Using Wrong Stem

Always base the imperfect subjunctive on the ellos preterite form, not the infinitive:

Wrong:

tenera, ponera, hacera

(Based on infinitive)

Correct:

tuviera (from tuvieron), pusiera (from pusieron), hiciera (from hicieron)

(Based on preterite)

🎭 Mixing Up -ra and -se Forms

Don't mix the two forms within the same conjugation. Stick with one throughout:

Wrong:

hablara, hablases, hablara, habláramos...

(Mixing -ra and -se)

Correct:

hablara, hablaras, hablara, habláramos...

(All -ra forms)

❌ Using Subjunctive After "Si" for Real Conditions

Use indicative for possible/real conditions, subjunctive only for hypothetical:

Wrong:

Si llueva mañana, llevaré paraguas

(Real possibility, but wrong mood)

Correct:

Si llueve mañana, llevaré paraguas

If it rains tomorrow, I'll take an umbrella

(Real possibility = indicative)

⚡ Forgetting Como Si Always Needs Subjunctive

"Como si" (as if) always triggers imperfect subjunctive, never indicative:

Wrong:

Como si es rico

Correct:

Como si fuera rico

As if he were rich

Useful Resources

Coming soon...

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Imperfect Subjunctive

What You'll Learn

Overview / Usage

🎯 Key Uses of Imperfect Subjunctive

🔮 Si Clauses (If clauses)

💭 Past WEIRDO Triggers

🎭 "Como si" (As if)

🙏 Polite Requests

⚡ Important: Two Forms Exist!

Structure & Formation

📋 How to Form the Imperfect Subjunctive

✓ Formation Steps:

Imperfect Subjunctive Endings

Regular Verbs Examples

Hablar (to speak)

Comer (to eat)

Vivir (to live)

Common Irregular Verbs

Ser/Ir (to be/to go)

Tener (to have)

Estar (to be)

Hacer (to do/make)

Poder (can/to be able)

Poner (to put)

💡 Memory Tip:

Examples

💡 Si Clauses (If Clauses)

🎭 Como Si (As If)

⏰ Past WEIRDO Triggers

🙏 Polite Requests

Gotchas / Common Mistakes

❌ Using Present Subjunctive in Si Clauses

⚠️ Forgetting the Accent on Nosotros

💡 Using Wrong Stem

🎭 Mixing Up -ra and -se Forms

❌ Using Subjunctive After "Si" for Real Conditions

⚡ Forgetting Como Si Always Needs Subjunctive

Quick Test / Mini Quiz

📝 Imperfect Subjunctive Quiz

Useful Resources