
aprovechar Imperfect Subjunctive Conjugation
aprovechar — to take advantage of
Use 'aprovechara' or 'aprovechara' (yo/él/ella/usted) for past hypothetical situations or wishes.
aprovechar Imperfect Subjunctive Forms
When to Use the Imperfect Subjunctive
The imperfect subjunctive is used for actions or states that were hypothetical, uncertain, or unreal in the past. It's common in 'if' clauses (like 'Si yo aprovechara más...') or after expressions of desire or doubt in the past ('Ojalá aprovechara mejor su tiempo').
Notes on aprovechar in the Imperfect Subjunctive
Aprovechar is regular in the imperfect subjunctive. You take the preterite nosotros form ('aprovechamos'), drop the '-mos', and add the subjunctive endings. Both '-ra' and '-se' endings are correct, but '-ra' is more common ('aprovechara', 'aprovecharas', 'aprovechara', 'aprovecháramos', 'aprovecharais', 'aprovecharan').
Example Sentences
Si yo aprovechara la oportunidad, sería millonario.
If I took advantage of the opportunity, I would be a millionaire.
yo
Él deseaba que tú aprovecharas más el curso.
He wished that you would take more advantage of the course.
tú
Ellos actuaron como si aprovecharan cada segundo.
They acted as if they were taking advantage of every second.
ellos/ellas/ustedes
Ojalá nosotros aprovecháramos la oferta.
Hopefully, we would take advantage of the offer.
nosotros
Common Mistakes
Mistake: Using the imperfect indicative instead of the imperfect subjunctive.
Correct: Use 'aprovechara' or 'aprovechara' after 'si' clauses or verbs of desire/doubt.
Why: The imperfect subjunctive expresses the hypothetical or unreal nature required in these contexts, while the imperfect indicative describes factual past situations.
Mistake: Confusing the '-ra' and '-se' forms.
Correct: Both 'aprovechara' and 'aprovechase' are correct for the yo/él/ella/usted forms.
Why: Learners sometimes stick to only one form, but both are grammatically valid, though '-ra' is generally more frequent.
Master Spanish verbs in context
Memorizing tables only gets you so far. Read 200+ illustrated and narrated Spanish stories to see verbs like 'aprovechar' used naturally — in the tenses you're learning.
Related Tenses
Present
yo: aprovecho
Use 'aprovecho' (yo) and 'aprovecha' (tú) for current actions, habits, or general truths.
Preterite
yo: aproveché
Use 'aproveché' (yo) and 'aprovechó' (él/ella/usted) for completed past actions.
Imperfect
yo: aprovechaba
Use 'aprovechaba' (yo/él/ella/usted) for ongoing or habitual past actions.
Future
yo: aprovecharé
Use 'aprovecharé' (yo) and 'aprovechará' (él/ella/usted) for actions that will happen or to express probability.
Conditional
yo: aprovecharía
Use 'aprovecharía' (yo/él/ella/usted) for hypothetical 'would' situations or polite requests.
Present Subjunctive
yo: aproveche
Use 'aproveche' (yo/él/ella/usted) after expressions of doubt, desire, or emotion.
Affirmative Imperative
yo: aprovecha
Use 'aprovecha' (tú) and 'aproveche' (usted) to give direct commands to take advantage of something.
Negative Imperative
yo: no aproveches
Use 'no aproveches' (tú) or 'no aproveche' (usted) to give negative commands.