Chapter 49: El Imperfecto de Subjuntivo - Formación - The Imperfect Subjunctive - Formation
¡Hola! You've made incredible progress and are now ready to tackle another important subjunctive tense: the Imperfect Subjunctive (el imperfecto de subjuntivo). This tense is primarily used to talk about past unreal or hypothetical situations, polite requests in a past context, or after certain expressions and conjunctions referring to the past. Its formation is unique and consistent, derived from the Preterite tense.
Objectives
By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:
Understand the process for forming the Imperfect Subjunctive from the third-person plural (ellos/ellas/ustedes) Preterite form.
Recognize and form both sets of Imperfect Subjunctive endings (-ra, -ras... and -se, -ses...).
Conjugate regular and common irregular verbs in the Imperfect Subjunctive.
Introduction/Warm-up
The Imperfect Subjunctive might seem complex, but its formation is surprisingly regular once you know the starting point: the third-person plural (ellos/ellas/ustedes) form of the Preterite tense. All irregularities from the preterite carry over, making the imperfect subjunctive quite predictable from that preterite form.
(Optional Review): What is the "ellos" preterite form of hablar? (hablaron). Of comer? (comieron). Of ser/ir? (fueron). Of tener? (tuvieron). These will be our building blocks!
Presentation of New Material: Forming the Imperfect Subjunctive
The Three-Step Process
Start with the third-person plural (ellos/ellas/ustedes) form of the Preterite Indicative tense.
hablar (to speak) → ellos hablaron
comer (to eat) → ellos comieron
vivir (to live) → ellos vivieron
tener (to have - irregular preterite) → ellos tuvieron
hacer (to do/make - irregular preterite) → ellos hicieron
Drop the "-ron" ending.
hablaron → habla-
comieron → comie-
vivieron → vivie-
tuvieron → tuvie-
hicieron → hicie-
(This gives you the Imperfect Subjunctive stem.)
Add the Imperfect Subjunctive endings. There are two sets of endings, and they are largely interchangeable (though one might be more common in certain regions or contexts).
Imperfect Subjunctive Endings
Both sets of endings are added to the stem derived above. You should learn to recognize both.
Set 1: The "-ra" endings
Pronoun
Ending
yo
-ra
tú
-ras
él/ella/usted
-ra
nosotros/as
-ramos (accent on vowel before -ramos)
vosotros/as
-rais
ellos/ellas/ustedes
-ran
Set 2: The "-se" endings
Pronoun
Ending
yo
-se
tú
-ses
él/ella/usted
-se
nosotros/as
-semos (accent on vowel before -semos)
vosotros/as
-seis
ellos/ellas/ustedes
-sen
Important: The "nosotros" form always has a written accent on the vowel immediately preceding the "-ramos" or "-semos" ending (e.g., habláramos, comiéramos, viviéramos).
Example Conjugations:
Hablar (ellos preterite: hablaron → stem: habla-)
-ra form:
(si) yo hablara
(si) tú hablaras
(si) él hablara
(si) nosotros habláramos
(si) vosotros hablarais
(si) ellos hablaran
-se form:
(si) yo hablase
(si) tú hablases
(si) él hablase
(si) nosotros hablásemos
(si) vosotros hablaseis
(si) ellos hablasen
Comer (ellos preterite: comieron → stem: comie-)
Si yo comiera/comiese más verduras, estaría más sano. (If I ate more vegetables, I would be healthier.)
Tener (ellos preterite: tuvieron → stem: tuvie-)
Si él tuviera/tuviese más tiempo, viajaría. (If he had more time, he would travel.)
Pronunciation Tips:
For the "-ra" forms, the stress generally falls on the syllable just before the "-ra" (e.g., haBLAra), except for nosotros (haBLÁramos).
For the "-se" forms, the stress generally falls on the syllable just before the "-se" (e.g., haBLAse), except for nosotros (haBLÁsemos).
The "nosotros" forms always have a written accent: -áramos, -éramos, -iéramos or -ásemos, -ésemos, -iésemos.
Cultural Insight: Expressing Hypotheticals and Polite Deference
While this chapter focuses on the mechanics of forming the Imperfect Subjunctive, it's worth noting that this tense is crucial for navigating social interactions that involve politeness, deference, and discussing hypothetical or unreal situations – all common aspects of communication in Spanish-speaking cultures. When you learn to say, "Si yo fuera rico..." (If I were rich...), you're not just conjugating a verb; you're unlocking the ability to dream, speculate, and engage in "what if" conversations that are a universal part of human connection.
Furthermore, as you'll see in the next chapter, the Imperfect Subjunctive (especially forms like "quisiera," "pudiera," "debiera") is often used to make requests or suggestions in an extremely polite and indirect manner. This level of courtesy can be particularly valued in more formal settings or when addressing someone with whom a respectful distance is maintained. Mastering the Imperfect Subjunctive, therefore, also equips you with tools for more nuanced and culturally sensitive interactions.
Language Nuances: Imperfect Subjunctive
1. "-ra" vs. "-se" Endings
Both sets of endings (-ra, -ras... and -se, -ses...) are generally interchangeable and grammatically correct. The choice often comes down to regional preference, personal style, or even rhythm in a sentence.
The -ra forms are generally more common in everyday speech in many parts of the Spanish-speaking world, including Spain and much of Latin America.
The -se forms might sound slightly more formal or literary to some, but they are perfectly valid and understood everywhere. In some specific grammatical constructions or fixed phrases, one form might be slightly preferred over the other, but for general use, you can often choose.
It's good to be able to recognize both, but you can pick one set to actively use as you start out.
2. All Irregularities Come from the Preterite
This is the beauty of the Imperfect Subjunctive formation: if a verb is irregular in the third-person plural (ellos/ellas/ustedes) of the Preterite, that same irregularity will be present in the stem of all its Imperfect Subjunctive forms.
So, if you know your Preterite "ellos" forms well, forming the Imperfect Subjunctive becomes much easier!
Review and Consolidation
Key Formation Steps:
Take the third-person plural (ellos/as/Uds.) Preterite form.
Drop the "-ron" ending.
Add either the "-ra" endings (-ra, -ras, -ra, -'ramos, -rais, -ran) or the "-se" endings (-se, -ses, -se, -'semos, -seis, -sen).
Self-Assessment:
Can you explain the three steps to form the Imperfect Subjunctive?
Can you list both sets of Imperfect Subjunctive endings?
Conjugate "hablar" in the Imperfect Subjunctive (both -ra and -se forms) for "yo."
Conjugate "tener" (irregular preterite "tuvieron") in the Imperfect Subjunctive (-ra form) for "nosotros."
Looking Ahead
¡Felicidades! You've now learned how to form the Imperfect Subjunctive. This is a significant step towards more advanced Spanish. In the next chapter, we'll explore the common uses of the Imperfect Subjunctive, particularly in hypothetical "if" clauses and after certain expressions that refer to past wishes, doubts, or emotions. ¡Ya casi eres un experto en los modos verbales!