arrestar Imperfect Subjunctive Conjugation
arrestar — to arrest
The imperfect subjunctive of arrestar is regular: arrestara, arrestaras, arrestara, arrestáramos, arrestarais, arrestaran.
arrestar Imperfect Subjunctive Forms
When to Use the Imperfect Subjunctive
Use this in 'if' clauses (if they arrested him...) or after expressions of emotion/doubt that happened in the past.
Notes on arrestar in the Imperfect Subjunctive
It follows the standard pattern derived from the 3rd person plural preterite (arrestaron -> arrestara).
Example Sentences
Si la policía lo arrestara, estaríamos más seguros.
If the police arrested him, we would be safer.
él/ella/usted
Me sorprendió que arrestaran a tanta gente.
It surprised me that they arrested so many people.
ellos/ellas/ustedes
Si nos arrestáramos por eso, todos estaríamos en la cárcel.
If we arrested ourselves for that, we would all be in jail.
nosotros
Common Mistakes
Mistake: arrestarais (without context)
Correct: arrestaras
Why: Learners often mix up 'vosotros' (arrestarais) with 'tú' (arrestaras) due to the similar sound.
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Related Tenses
Present
yo: arresto
The present of arrestar is regular: arresto, arrestas, arresta, arrestamos, arrestáis, arrestan.
Preterite
yo: arresté
The preterite of arrestar is regular: arresté, arrestaste, arrestó, arrestamos, arrestasteis, arrestaron.
Imperfect
yo: arrestaba
The imperfect of arrestar is regular: arrestaba, arrestabas, arrestaba, arrestábamos, arrestabais, arrestaban.
Future
yo: arrestaré
The future of arrestar is regular: arrestaré, arrestarás, arrestará, arrestaremos, arrestaréis, arrestarán.
Conditional
yo: arrestaría
The conditional of arrestar is regular: arrestaría, arrestarías, arrestaría, arrestaríamos, arrestaríais, arrestarían.
Present Subjunctive
yo: arreste
The present subjunctive of arrestar is regular: arreste, arrestes, arreste, arrestemos, arrestéis, arresten.
Affirmative Imperative
yo: arresta
The affirmative imperative of arrestar is: arresta (tú), arreste (usted), arrestad (vosotros), arresten (ustedes).
Negative Imperative
yo: no arrestes
The negative imperative of arrestar uses the present subjunctive: no arrestes, no arreste, no arrestemos, no arrestéis, no arresten.