Imperfect Subjunctive
The imperfect (past) subjunctive is used for unreal or unlikely situations and after past triggers: Si tuviera dinero, viajaría (If I had money, I would travel).
The rule at a glance
hablaronellos preterite→habla-stem+-raending (yo)=hablara(that) I spoke
hablaron → hablara · tuvieron → tuviera · fueron → fuera; The -se form also works: hablase, tuviese
Si clauses
si tuviera..., + conditional
if I had..., I would...
Si tuviera dinero, viajaría por todo el mundo.
If I had money, I would travel all over the world.
Past trigger + que
quería que vinieras
I wanted you to come
Mis padres querían que estudiara Medicina.
My parents wanted me to study medicine.
As if
como si fuera
as if he were
Gasta dinero como si fuera rico.
He spends money as if he were rich.
Polite requests
quisiera
I would like
Quisiera reservar una mesa para dos.
I'd like to book a table for two.
- Real or imagined? A real possibility keeps the present indicative: Si llueve, me quedo en casa. An unlikely or unreal one takes the imperfect subjunctive: Si lloviera, me quedaría en casa.
- Nosotros takes an accent: habláramos, tuviéramos, fuéramos.
Forms
Start with the ellos form of the preterite (hablaron, comieron, vivieron), drop -ron and add the endings. There are two sets: -ra (used everywhere, more common in speech) and -se (less common and more formal; it is still heard in everyday speech in Spain, but in most of Latin America it is mainly written). This page uses the -ra form.
| -ra ending | -se ending | |
|---|---|---|
| yo | -ra | -se |
| tú | -ras | -ses |
| él/ella/usted | -ra | -se |
| nosotros | -ramos | -semos |
| vosotros | -rais | -seis |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | -ran | -sen |
In the nosotros form, the vowel just before the ending takes a written accent: habláramos, comiéramos, viviéramos (and hablásemos, comiésemos, viviésemos).
Regular verbs
The highlighted part is the ending.
| hablar (hablaron) | comer (comieron) | vivir (vivieron) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| yo | hablara | comiera | viviera |
| tú | hablaras | comieras | vivieras |
| él/ella/usted | hablara | comiera | viviera |
| nosotros | habláramos | comiéramos | viviéramos |
| vosotros | hablarais | comierais | vivierais |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | hablaran | comieran | vivieran |
Irregular verbs
If you know the preterite, you know the imperfect subjunctive: any verb with an irregular preterite keeps the same irregularity (tuvieron → tuviera, dijeron → dijera, fueron → fuera).
When to use it
The same triggers that take the present subjunctive (see the subjunctive triggers list and trigger phrases) take the imperfect subjunctive when the sentence is about the past or is hypothetical.
1. Si clauses: unreal or unlikely situations
Si + imperfect subjunctive, then the conditional.
Si tuviera dinero, compraría una casa – If I had money, I would buy a house
Si fuera rico, viajaría por el mundo – If I were rich, I would travel the world
Si pudieras venir, sería fantástico – If you could come, it would be fantastic
Si hiciera buen tiempo, iríamos a la playa – If the weather were good, we would go to the beach
2. After a trigger in the past
When the main verb is in the past or the conditional, a simultaneous or later event usually takes the imperfect subjunctive. An earlier event often takes the pluperfect subjunctive: Dudaba que hubieras terminado (I doubted that you had finished).
Wish: Quería que vinieras – I wanted you to come
Emotion: Me alegró que llegaras – I was glad that you arrived
Impersonal: Era necesario que estudiaras – You needed to study
Doubt: Dudaba que fuera verdad – I doubted that it was true
3. Como si: "as if"
Como si always takes the subjunctive (imperfect or pluperfect).
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
4. Polite requests
More polite than quiero or puedo.
Quisiera un café, por favor – I would like a coffee, please
Quisiera reservar una mesa – I would like to book a table
Si pudiera ayudarme, se lo agradecería – If you could help me, I would be grateful
Common mistakes
Not this (incorrect): Si tenga dinero, compraría...
But this (correct): Si tuviera dinero, compraría... – If I had money, I would buy... Hypothetical si clauses need the imperfect subjunctive, not the present subjunctive.
Not this (incorrect): Si llueva mañana, llevaré...
But this (correct): Si llueve mañana, llevaré... – If it rains tomorrow, I'll take... Real or likely conditions use the indicative.
Not this (incorrect): Como si es rico
But this (correct): Como si fuera rico – As if he were rich. Como si always takes the subjunctive, never the indicative.
Not this (incorrect): hablaramos, comieramos
But this (correct): habláramos, comiéramos – we spoke, we ate. The nosotros form always has an accent on the vowel before -ramos/-semos.
Building it from the infinitive
Not this (incorrect): teniera, poniera, haciera
But this (correct): tuviera, pusiera, hiciera. Always start from the ellos preterite: tuvieron → tuvie-ra, pusieron → pusie-ra, hicieron → hicie-ra.
Quick check
8 questions1. Si yo _____ (tener) dinero, compraría una casa nueva.
In si clauses expressing hypothetical situations, use the imperfect subjunctive. From 'tuvieron' → tuviera.
2. Quería que tú _____ (venir) a la fiesta anoche.
After 'quería' (a past-tense trigger), use the imperfect subjunctive. From 'vinieron' → vinieras.
3. Habla como si _____ (saber) todo sobre el tema.
'Como si' (as if) always requires the subjunctive (here the imperfect). From 'supieron' → supiera.
4. Era importante que nosotros _____ (estar) allí a tiempo.
Past impersonal expressions require the imperfect subjunctive. Note the accent: estuviéramos.
5. Si _____ (poder-yo) ayudarte, lo haría con gusto.
Si + imperfect subjunctive goes with the conditional (haría) for something hypothetical: pudiera. With puedo you would need the future: Si puedo ayudarte, lo haré.
6. Si _____ (hacer) buen tiempo, iríamos a la playa.
Hypothetical si clauses use the imperfect subjunctive. From 'hicieron' → hiciera.
7. Dudaba que ellos _____ (poder) terminar a tiempo.
After 'dudaba que' (past doubt trigger), use the imperfect subjunctive. From 'pudieron' → pudieran.
8. _____ (Querer-yo) reservar una mesa para dos personas. (polite)
Quisiera (imperfect subjunctive of querer) is the most polite form for 'I would like'.
Test your understanding of the imperfect subjunctive:
Going further
The -ra and -se forms side by side, and when the conditional can replace it
-ra or -se?
Both forms are correct and mean the same (hablara = hablase, tuviera = tuviese), and either works in si clauses, after triggers and with como si. The -ra form is far more common in speech; -se sounds more formal or literary. Only the -ra form can replace the conditional in a few fixed expressions, such as quisiera and debiera.
In depth: Imperfect subjunctive vs conditional: when they're interchangeable →