alentar Imperfect Subjunctive Conjugation
alentar — to encourage
The imperfect subjunctive of alentar is regular: alentara, alentaras, alentara, alentáramos, alentarais, alentaran.
alentar Imperfect Subjunctive Forms
When to Use the Imperfect Subjunctive
Use this for past-tense triggers of the subjunctive or in 'if' clauses (e.g., 'If I encouraged you...').
Notes on alentar in the Imperfect Subjunctive
This tense is regular. It is formed from the third-person plural preterite (alentaron) by removing the -ron.
Example Sentences
Si ella me alentara, yo terminaría el libro.
If she encouraged me, I would finish the book.
él/ella/usted
Me gustaría que nos alentaras un poco más.
I would like you to encourage us a bit more.
tú
Buscaban a alguien que alentara a las masas.
They were looking for someone who would encourage the masses.
él/ella/usted
Common Mistakes
Mistake: Using 'alientara' with a stem change.
Correct: alentara
Why: The imperfect subjunctive never has an e > ie stem change for -ar verbs.
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Related Tenses
Present
yo: aliento
Alentar is a stem-changing verb where 'e' becomes 'ie' in all forms except nosotros and vosotros.
Preterite
yo: alenté
Alentar is completely regular in the preterite; it does NOT have a stem change here.
Imperfect
yo: alentaba
The imperfect of alentar is regular: alentaba, alentabas, alentaba, alentábamos, alentabais, alentaban.
Future
yo: alentaré
The future tense is regular: alentaré, alentarás, alentará, alentaremos, alentaréis, alentarán.
Conditional
yo: alentaría
The conditional of alentar is regular: alentaría, alentarías, alentaría, alentaríamos, alentaríais, alentarían.
Present Subjunctive
yo: aliente
The present subjunctive of alentar features the e > ie stem change: aliente, alientes, aliente, alentemos, alentéis, alienten.
Affirmative Imperative
yo: alienta
The imperative uses 'alienta' (tú) and 'aliente' (usted/ustedes), maintaining the stem change.
Negative Imperative
yo: no alientes
The negative imperative uses the present subjunctive: no alientes, no aliente, no alentemos, no alentéis, no alienten.