barrer Imperfect Subjunctive Conjugation

When to Use the Imperfect Subjunctive

You use this tense for hypothetical situations in the past, wishes, or polite requests that didn't necessarily happen. For example, 'Si barriera más, la casa estaría más limpia' (If I swept more, the house would be cleaner). It's also used after certain verbs expressing doubt or emotion in the past.

Notes on barrer in the Imperfect Subjunctive

Barrer is regular in the imperfect subjunctive. Both the -ra and -se forms exist, but the -ra form (barriera, barrieras, etc.) is more common in everyday speech.

Example Sentences

• Si yo barriera el suelo todos los días, no habría tanta suciedad.

  If I swept the floor every day, there wouldn't be so much dirt.

  yo

• Me gustaría que tú barrieras el polvo del techo.

  I would like you to sweep the dust from the ceiling.

  tú

• El profesor pidió que ellos barrieran el aula.

  The teacher asked that they sweep the classroom.

  ellos/ellas/ustedes

• Quisiera que usted barriera más a menudo.

  I wish you would sweep more often.

  él/ella/usted

Common Mistakes

• Mistake: Confusing imperfect subjunctive with preterite.

  Correct: Use 'barriera' for hypotheticals, not 'barrió'.

  Why: The imperfect subjunctive is for unreal or hypothetical situations, while the preterite describes completed actions.

• Mistake: Using the -se form when the -ra form is expected.

  Correct: While 'barrierese' is technically correct, 'barriera' is much more common.

  Why: Both forms are grammatically correct, but the -ra form is generally preferred and more widely used in spoken Spanish.

Related Tenses