arrancar Imperfect Subjunctive Conjugation
arrancar — to start
The imperfect subjunctive of arrancar is regular (arrancara) and uses the -ra or -se endings.
arrancar Imperfect Subjunctive Forms
When to Use the Imperfect Subjunctive
Use this for hypothetical situations or past requests. It’s common in 'if' clauses (Si arrancara...) or after past expressions of emotion or desire.
Notes on arrancar in the Imperfect Subjunctive
This tense is regular for arrancar. It is built from the third-person plural of the preterite (arrancaron), dropping the -ron.
Example Sentences
Si el motor arrancara, podríamos irnos.
If the engine started, we could leave.
él/ella/usted
Me gustaría que arrancaras el motor con cuidado.
I would like you to start the engine carefully.
tú
El jefe pidió que arrancáramos la reunión temprano.
The boss asked that we start the meeting early.
nosotros
Common Mistakes
Mistake: arranquara
Correct: arrancara
Why: Learners often carry over the 'qu' from the preterite 'yo' form, but in this tense the 'a' follows the 'c', so no spelling change is needed.
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Related Tenses
Present
yo: arranco
The present tense of arrancar is completely regular: arranco, arrancas, arranca, arrancamos, arrancáis, arrancan.
Preterite
yo: arranqué
The preterite of arrancar has a spelling change in the 'yo' form (arranqué), but is otherwise regular.
Imperfect
yo: arrancaba
The imperfect of arrancar is regular: arrancaba, arrancabas, arrancaba, arrancábamos, arrancabais, arrancaban.
Future
yo: arrancaré
The future tense of arrancar is regular: arrancaré, arrancarás, arrancará, arrancaremos, arrancaréis, arrancarán.
Conditional
yo: arrancaría
The conditional of arrancar is regular: arrancaría, arrancarías, arrancaría, arrancaríamos, arrancaríais, arrancarían.
Present Subjunctive
yo: arranque
The present subjunctive of arrancar undergoes a spelling change: arranque, arranques, arranque, arranquemos, arranquéis, arranquen.
Affirmative Imperative
yo: arranca
The imperative of arrancar gives direct commands: arranca (tú), arranque (usted), arranquen (ustedes).
Negative Imperative
yo: no arranques
The negative imperative of arrancar uses the 'qu' spelling change: no arranques, no arranque, no arranquemos, no arranquéis, no arranquen.