
desarrollar Imperfect Subjunctive Conjugation
desarrollar — to develop
Use the imperfect subjunctive 'desarrollara'/'desarrollase' for past hypotheticals, wishes, or polite requests.
desarrollar Imperfect Subjunctive Forms
When to Use the Imperfect Subjunctive
The imperfect subjunctive is used for hypothetical situations in the past, unlikely wishes, or to make requests more polite. For 'desarrollar', you might talk about developing something IF a past condition were met, or wish you had developed a skill.
Notes on desarrollar in the Imperfect Subjunctive
'Desarrollar' is regular in the imperfect subjunctive. Both the -ra and -se endings are correct (e.g., desarrollara/desarrollase), with -ra being more common in many regions.
Example Sentences
Si tuviera tiempo, desarrollara un nuevo proyecto.
If I had time, I would develop a new project.
yo
Me gustaría que desarrollaras más paciencia.
I would like you to develop more patience.
tú
Ojalá él desarrollara mejor su argumento.
Hopefully, he would develop his argument better.
él/ella/usted
Si ellos desarrollaran más interés, les ayudaríamos.
If they developed more interest, we would help them.
ellos/ellas/ustedes
Common Mistakes
Mistake: Using the preterite instead of the imperfect subjunctive for past hypotheticals.
Correct: For 'if' clauses referring to hypothetical past situations, use the imperfect subjunctive: 'Si desarrollara...'.
Why: The imperfect subjunctive is the correct mood and tense for these types of conditional statements.
Mistake: Confusing the -ra and -se forms.
Correct: Both 'desarrollara' and 'desarrollase' are correct for the yo/él/ella/usted form. Stick to one set of endings (-ra or -se) for consistency within a sentence.
Why: Learners sometimes mix the two sets of endings or aren't aware both exist.
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Related Tenses
Present
yo: desarrollo
Use the present tense 'desarrollo' for current actions, habits, and general truths about developing things.
Preterite
yo: desarrollé
The preterite of 'desarrollar' is regular: desarrollé, desarrollaste, desarrolló, desarrollamos, desarrollasteis, desarrollaron.
Imperfect
yo: desarrollaba
Use the imperfect 'desarrollaba' for ongoing or habitual past actions of developing.
Future
yo: desarrollaré
Use the future tense 'desarrollaré' for actions that will happen or to express probability.
Conditional
yo: desarrollaría
Use the conditional 'desarrollaría' for hypotheticals ('would'), polite requests, and future-in-the-past.
Present Subjunctive
yo: desarrolle
Use the present subjunctive 'desarrolle' for wishes, doubts, emotions, and after certain impersonal expressions.
Affirmative Imperative
yo: desarrolla
Use 'desarrolla' (tú), 'desarrolle' (usted), 'desarrollemos' (nosotros), 'desarrollad' (vosotros), 'desarrollen' (ustedes) for direct commands.
Negative Imperative
yo: no desarrolles
Use 'no desarrolles' (tú), 'no desarrolle' (usted), 'no desarrollemos' (nosotros), 'no desarrolléis' (vosotros), 'no desarrollen' (ustedes) for negative commands.