detestar Imperfect Subjunctive Conjugation
detestar — to detest
The imperfect subjunctive of detestar is regular: detestara, detestaras, detestara, detestáramos, detestarais, detestaran.
detestar Imperfect Subjunctive Forms
When to Use the Imperfect Subjunctive
Use this for hypothetical 'if' situations (e.g., 'If I detested it...') or after past-tense triggers involving emotion or doubt.
Notes on detestar in the Imperfect Subjunctive
Detestar is regular here, derived from the third-person plural preterite 'detestaron'.
Example Sentences
Si yo detestara mi trabajo, renunciaría.
If I detested my job, I would quit.
yo
Me sorprendió que tú detestaras esa canción.
It surprised me that you detested that song.
tú
Ojalá no detestáramos tanto el ejercicio.
If only we didn't detest exercise so much.
nosotros
Common Mistakes
Mistake: detestamos (in a subjunctive context)
Correct: detestáramos
Why: The imperfect subjunctive requires the -ara ending, and the nosotros form always has an accent.
Master Spanish verbs in context
Memorizing tables only gets you so far. Read 200+ illustrated and narrated Spanish stories to see verbs like 'detestar' used naturally — in the tenses you're learning.
Related Tenses
Present
yo: detesto
The present tense of detestar is regular: detesto, detestas, detesta, detestamos, detestáis, detestan.
Preterite
yo: detesté
The preterite of detestar is regular: detesté, detestaste, detestó, detestamos, detestasteis, detestaron.
Imperfect
yo: detestaba
The imperfect of detestar is regular: detestaba, detestabas, detestaba, detestábamos, detestabais, detestaban.
Future
yo: detestaré
The future of detestar is regular: detestaré, detestarás, detestará, detestaremos, detestaréis, detestarán.
Conditional
yo: detestaría
The conditional of detestar is regular: detestaría, detestarías, detestaría, detestaríamos, detestaríais, detestarían.
Present Subjunctive
yo: deteste
The present subjunctive of detestar is regular: deteste, detestes, deteste, detestemos, detestéis, detesten.
Affirmative Imperative
yo: detesta
The affirmative imperative of detestar uses detesta (tú) and detestad (vosotros), with other forms matching the subjunctive.
Negative Imperative
yo: no detestes
The negative imperative of detestar uses 'no' plus the present subjunctive forms: no detestes, no deteste, etc.