caracterizar Imperfect Subjunctive Conjugation
caracterizar — to characterize
The imperfect subjunctive is regular: caracterizara, caracterizaras, caracterizara.
caracterizar Imperfect Subjunctive Forms
When to Use the Imperfect Subjunctive
Use this for hypothetical situations or after past-tense verbs of emotion/request regarding someone's traits.
Notes on caracterizar in the Imperfect Subjunctive
This tense uses the third-person plural preterite (caracterizaron) as a base. It is regular and retains the 'z'.
Example Sentences
Si el libro caracterizara mejor al héroe, sería mejor.
If the book characterized the hero better, it would be better.
él/ella/usted
Me gustaría que nos caracterizáramos por nuestra unión.
I would like us to be characterized by our unity.
nosotros
Fue una pena que no caracterizaran el problema correctamente.
It was a shame they didn't characterize the problem correctly.
ellos/ellas/ustedes
Common Mistakes
Mistake: Using 'caractericara' with a 'c'.
Correct: caracterizara
Why: The spelling change to 'c' only happens before 'e' or 'i'. Since the ending here starts with 'a', the 'z' stays.
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Related Tenses
Present
yo: caracterizo
The present of caracterizar is regular, but remember the 'z' sounds like 's' (or 'th' in Spain): caracterizo, caracterizas, caracteriza.
Preterite
yo: caractericé
The preterite of caracterizar has a spelling change in the 'yo' form: caractericé.
Imperfect
yo: caracterizaba
The imperfect of caracterizar is regular: caracterizaba, caracterizabas, caracterizaba.
Future
yo: caracterizaré
The future of caracterizar is regular: caracterizaré, caracterizarás, caracterizará.
Conditional
yo: caracterizaría
The conditional of caracterizar is regular: caracterizaría, caracterizarías, caracterizaría.
Present Subjunctive
yo: caracterice
The present subjunctive of caracterizar requires a 'z' to 'c' spelling change in all forms.
Affirmative Imperative
yo: caracteriza
The imperative uses 'caracteriza' for tú and 'caracterice' for formal commands.
Negative Imperative
yo: no caracterices
Negative commands all use the 'c' spelling change: no caracterices, no caracterice.