doler Imperfect Subjunctive Conjugation
doler — to hurt
The imperfect subjunctive (doliera) is used for hypothetical or past subjective situations.
doler Imperfect Subjunctive Forms
When to Use the Imperfect Subjunctive
Use this in 'if' clauses (e.g., 'If it hurt, I would tell you') or when expressing past wishes about pain.
Notes on doler in the Imperfect Subjunctive
This tense is based on the preterite stem, so there is no o > ue stem change.
Example Sentences
Si me doliera, te lo diría.
If it hurt, I would tell you.
él/ella/usted
Me pidió que le avisara si le dolieran los ojos.
He asked me to let him know if his eyes hurt (him).
ellos/ellas/ustedes
Common Mistakes
Mistake: Si me dueliera...
Correct: Si me doliera...
Why: The imperfect subjunctive does not take the 'ue' stem change.
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Related Tenses
Present
yo: duelo
Doler is a stem-changing verb (o > ue) used like 'gustar', meaning it usually appears in the third person: duele or duelen.
Preterite
yo: dolí
The preterite of doler is regular (dolió, dolieron) and describes a specific instance or onset of pain.
Imperfect
yo: dolía
The imperfect dolía/dolían is used for ongoing, habitual, or background pain in the past.
Future
yo: doleré
The future tense is regular: dolerá, dolerán.
Conditional
yo: dolería
The conditional (dolería, dolerían) describes what 'would' hurt under certain conditions.
Present Subjunctive
yo: duela
The present subjunctive uses the 'ue' stem change: duela, duelan.
Affirmative Imperative
yo: duele
The imperative of doler is rare but used metaphorically to command something to 'be painful'.
Negative Imperative
yo: no duelas
The negative imperative (no duela) uses the present subjunctive forms.