desempeñar Imperfect Subjunctive Conjugation

When to Use the Imperfect Subjunctive

This tense is used for hypothetical situations, wishes, or doubts in the past. For example, 'Si yo desempeñara un papel importante, habría sido diferente' means 'If I had played an important role, it would have been different'. It's also used after expressions of emotion or uncertainty about past events.

Notes on desempeñar in the Imperfect Subjunctive

Desempeñar is regular in the imperfect subjunctive. Both the -ra and -se forms are correct, with -ra being more common in many regions. For example, 'desempeñara' and 'desempeñase' are interchangeable.

Example Sentences

• Ojalá él desempeñara mejor su trabajo.

  I wish he performed his job better.

  él/ella/usted

• Si tú desempeñaras ese papel, serías perfecto.

  If you performed that role, you would be perfect.

  tú

• Nos pidieron que desempeñáramos nuestro máximo esfuerzo.

  They asked us to perform our utmost effort.

  nosotros

• Dudaba que ellos desempeñaran el papel correctamente.

  I doubted they would perform the role correctly.

  ellos/ellas/ustedes

Common Mistakes

• Mistake: Confusing imperfect subjunctive with imperfect indicative.

  Correct: Use 'desempeñara' or 'desempeñase' for hypotheticals and wishes, not 'desempeñaba'.

  Why: The imperfect subjunctive introduces uncertainty or conditionality, while the imperfect indicative describes ongoing or habitual past actions.

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

  Correct: Both 'desempeñara' and 'desempeñase' are generally correct, but consistency within a context is good. '-ra' is more common.

  Why: While both are valid, regional preferences and specific grammatical contexts can sometimes favor one over the other.

Related Tenses