The Imperfect Subjunctive El Subjunctivo Imperfecto • The same

The Imperfect Subjunctive El Subjunctivo Imperfecto • The same

The Imperfect Subjunctive
El Subjunctivo Imperfecto
• The same rules apply for when to use the imperfect
subjunctive, only the action is in the past.
• The imperfect subjunctive has two forms (-ra) and (-se).
Either is correct.
• -ra form is more common in spoken language
-se form is more common is written language
• To form the imperfect subjunctive, use the root of the third
person plural (ellos) of the simple preterite tense.
Ej: pagaron
: the root is pagaEj: bebieron : the root is bebieEj: escribieron : the root is escribieAdd the following endings in chart.
Regular Verbs: (-ra) form
pagar
beber
escribir
yo
-ra
pagara
bebiera
escribiera
tú
-ras
pagaras
bebieras
escribieras
él, ella, uds.
-ra
pagara
bebiera
escribiera
nosotros
-ramos pagáramos bebiéramos escribiéramos
vosotros
-rais
pagarais
bebierais
escribierais
ellos, ellas, uds -ran
pagaran
bebieran
escribieran
Regular verbs: (-se) form
pagar
beber
escribir
yo
-se
pagase
bebiese
escribiese
tú
-ses
pagases
bebieses
escribieses
él,ella,ud
-se
pagase
bebiese
escribiese
nosotros
-semos pagásemos bebiésemos escribiésemos
vosotros
-seis
pagaseis
bebieseis
escribieseis
ellos,ellas,uds -sen
pagasen
bebiesen
escribiesen
• If the verb is irregular in the third person plural of the simple
preterite tense, it maintains that irregularity in the imperfect
subjunctive.
-Some verbs are irregular because of spelling changes:
Ej: leyeron : the root is leye
Ej: repitieron : the root is repitie
-Some verbs are extremely irregular in the preterite tense and
must be memorized. Review the preterite tense!
andar, estar, tener, caber, haber, poder, poner, saber, hacer,
querer, venir, decir, producir, traer
Ej: Ellos querían que produjera más. (They used to want him
to produce more.) verb of influence
Ej: Yo tuve miedo que anduviera tan rápido sobre el hielo. (I
was afraid for him to walk so fast on the ice) verb of emotion