empezar Imperfect Subjunctive Conjugation
empezar — to start
The imperfect subjunctive of empezar is based on the 3rd person plural preterite: empezara, empezaras, empezara...
empezar Imperfect Subjunctive Forms
When to Use the Imperfect Subjunctive
Use this for 'if' clauses (hypotheticals) or when the main verb triggering the subjunctive is in the past.
Notes on empezar in the Imperfect Subjunctive
It uses the preterite stem 'empezar-'. While there is no 'ie' stem change here, the 'z' remains because the endings start with 'a'.
Example Sentences
Si empezaras ahora, terminarías más temprano.
If you started now, you would finish earlier.
tú
Me gustaría que ellos empezaran el proyecto.
I would like them to start the project.
ellos/ellas/ustedes
Si empezáramos de nuevo, lo haríamos mejor.
If we started over, we would do it better.
nosotros
Common Mistakes
Mistake: Trying to use the 'ie' change (empiezara).
Correct: empezara
Why: The imperfect subjunctive is derived from the preterite 'empezaron', which does not have a stem change.
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Related Tenses
Present
yo: empiezo
Empezar is a stem-changing verb where the 'e' becomes 'ie' in all forms except nosotros and vosotros.
Preterite
yo: empecé
Empezar has a spelling change in the 'yo' form (empecé) but is otherwise regular in the preterite.
Imperfect
yo: empezaba
Empezar is regular in the imperfect: empezaba, empezabas, empezaba, empezábamos, empezabais, empezaban.
Future
yo: empezaré
The future tense of empezar is completely regular: empezaré, empezarás, empezará, etc.
Conditional
yo: empezaría
The conditional of empezar is regular: empezaría, empezarías, empezaría, empezaríamos, empezaríais, empezarían.
Present Subjunctive
yo: empiece
The present subjunctive of empezar features both a stem change (ie) and a spelling change (z to c).
Affirmative Imperative
yo: empieza
The imperative uses 'empieza' for informal commands and 'empiece' for formal ones.
Negative Imperative
yo: no empieces
Negative commands for empezar always use the present subjunctive forms: no empieces, no empiece, no empecemos.