declarar Imperfect Subjunctive Conjugation
declarar — declare
The imperfect subjunctive of declarar (declarara/declarase) is used for past hypotheticals or softer requests.
declarar Imperfect Subjunctive Forms
When to Use the Imperfect Subjunctive
This tense is great for talking about hypothetical situations in the past, expressing wishes or doubts that were relevant in the past, or making polite requests that were relevant back then. It's often used in 'if' clauses referring to past possibilities.
Notes on declarar in the Imperfect Subjunctive
Declarar is regular in the imperfect subjunctive. You can use either the -ra or -se ending (e.g., declarara or declarase), with -ra being more common in many regions.
Example Sentences
Si declarara la guerra, habría consecuencias.
If he were to declare war, there would be consequences.
él/ella/usted
Ojalá no declararas eso en público.
I wish you wouldn't declare that in public.
tú
Era importante que declararan todo.
It was important that they declare everything.
ellos/ellas/ustedes
Me pidió que declarara mi amor.
He asked me to declare my love.
yo
Common Mistakes
Mistake: Confusing imperfect subjunctive with imperfect indicative.
Correct: Use the imperfect subjunctive for hypothetical or subjunctive contexts, like 'Si yo declarara...' (If I were to declare...), not the imperfect indicative 'declaraba'.
Why: The imperfect indicative describes ongoing or habitual past actions, while the imperfect subjunctive deals with uncertainty, desire, or hypothetical conditions.
Mistake: Using the wrong stem for the -ra form.
Correct: Ensure the stem is from the preterite third-person plural (declararon -> declarara-).
Why: The -ra form is built from the preterite stem, not the infinitive or present tense.
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Related Tenses
Present
yo: declaro
The present indicative of declarar is regular: declaro, declaras, declara, declaramos, declaráis, declaran.
Preterite
yo: declaré
The preterite of declarar is regular: declaré, declaraste, declaró, declaramos, declarasteis, declararon.
Imperfect
yo: declaraba
The imperfect of declarar is regular: declaraba, declarabas, declaraba, declarábamos, declarabais, declaraban.
Future
yo: declararé
The future tense of declarar (declararé) is regular and used for definite future actions or probabilities.
Conditional
yo: declararía
The conditional of declarar is regular: declararía, declararías, declararía, declararíamos, declararíais, declararían.
Present Subjunctive
yo: declare
The present subjunctive of declarar (declare) is used for wishes, doubts, and influencing others.
Affirmative Imperative
yo: declara
Imperative commands for declarar are mostly regular: declara, declare, declaremos, declarad, declaren.
Negative Imperative
yo: no declares
Negative commands for 'declarar' use 'no' plus the present subjunctive: no declares, no declare, no declaremos, no declaréis, no declaren.