comenzar Imperfect Subjunctive Conjugation
comenzar — to start
The imperfect subjunctive of comenzar is regular based on the third-person preterite: comenzara, comenzaras, comenzara, comenzáramos, comenzarais, comenzaran.
comenzar Imperfect Subjunctive Forms
When to Use the Imperfect Subjunctive
Use this for past doubts or hypotheticals, often after 'si' (if) or 'quería que' (I wanted that...).
Notes on comenzar in the Imperfect Subjunctive
It follows the standard rule: take the 'ellos' preterite (comenzaron), drop the -ron, and add the endings. No stem change (ie) here.
Example Sentences
Si comenzara ahora, terminaría pronto.
If I started now, I would finish soon.
yo
Ella quería que comenzáramos ayer.
She wanted us to start yesterday.
nosotros
Me gustaría que comenzaran a estudiar.
I would like them to start studying.
ellos/ellas/ustedes
Common Mistakes
Mistake: Using the e>ie change (comienzara).
Correct: comenzara
Why: The imperfect subjunctive is built from the preterite, which does not have the 'ie' change.
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Related Tenses
Present
yo: comienzo
Comenzar is a stem-changing verb where 'e' becomes 'ie': comienzo, comienzas, comienza, comenzamos, comenzáis, comienzan.
Preterite
yo: comencé
The preterite of comenzar has a spelling change in the first person: comencé, comenzaste, comenzó, comenzamos, comenzasteis, comenzaron.
Imperfect
yo: comenzaba
The imperfect of comenzar is regular: comenzaba, comenzabas, comenzaba, comenzábamos, comenzabais, comenzaban.
Future
yo: comenzaré
The future of comenzar is regular: comenzaré, comenzarás, comenzará, comenzaremos, comenzaréis, comenzarán.
Conditional
yo: comenzaría
The conditional of comenzar is regular: comenzaría, comenzarías, comenzaría, comenzaríamos, comenzaríais, comenzarían.
Present Subjunctive
yo: comience
The present subjunctive of comenzar follows the e>ie stem change and the z>c spelling change: comience, comiences, comience, comencemos, comencéis, comiencen.
Affirmative Imperative
yo: comienza
The imperative of comenzar uses the stem change for informal commands: comienza (tú), comience (usted), comencemos (nosotros), comenzad (vosotros), comiencen (ustedes).
Negative Imperative
yo: no comiences
The negative imperative of comenzar uses the present subjunctive forms: no comiences, no comience, no comencemos, no comencéis, no comiencen.