examinar Imperfect Subjunctive Conjugation
examinar — to examine
The imperfect subjunctive of 'examinar' (examinara, examinases, etc.) is used for past hypotheticals or wishes.
examinar Imperfect Subjunctive Forms
When to Use the Imperfect Subjunctive
Use the imperfect subjunctive of 'examinar' when talking about hypothetical situations, wishes, or doubts in the past. It often appears in 'if' clauses ('Si yo examinara...') or after expressions of desire or emotion.
Notes on examinar in the Imperfect Subjunctive
'Examinar' is regular in the imperfect subjunctive. Both the -ra and -se forms exist, but the -ra form (examinara, examinaras, etc.) is more common in everyday speech.
Example Sentences
Si yo examinara el caso de nuevo, encontraría la verdad.
If I examined the case again, I would find the truth.
yo
Me gustaría que tú examinaras mi trabajo.
I would like you to examine my work.
tú
Ellos actuarían diferente si examinaran los hechos.
They would act differently if they examined the facts.
ellos/ellas/ustedes
Esperaba que usted examinara los detalles.
I hoped that you would examine the details.
Common Mistakes
Mistake: Using the imperfect indicative instead of the imperfect subjunctive.
Correct: In hypothetical 'if' clauses about the past, use 'Si yo examinara...', not 'Si yo examinaba...'.
Why: The indicative describes reality or certainty, while the subjunctive is for hypotheticals, doubts, or unreal conditions.
Mistake: Confusing the -ra and -se forms.
Correct: While both are correct, 'examinara' is generally more common than 'examinase'.
Why: Learners might stick to one form and miss the other, or incorrectly assume one is 'more correct' than the other.
Master Spanish verbs in context
Memorizing tables only gets you so far. Read 200+ illustrated and narrated Spanish stories to see verbs like 'examinar' used naturally — in the tenses you're learning.
Related Tenses
Present
yo: examino
The present tense of 'examinar' is regular: 'examino', 'examinas', 'examina', 'examinamos', 'examináis', 'examinan'.
Preterite
yo: examiné
The preterite of 'examinar' is regular: 'examiné', 'examinaste', 'examinó', 'examinamos', 'examinasteis', 'examinaron'.
Imperfect
yo: examinaba
The imperfect of 'examinar' is regular: 'examinaba', 'examinabas', 'examinaba', 'examinábamos', 'examinabais', 'examinaban'.
Future
yo: examinaré
The future tense of 'examinar' is regular: 'examinaré', 'examinarás', 'examinará', 'examinaremos', 'examinaréis', 'examinarán'.
Conditional
yo: examinaría
The conditional of 'examinar' is regular: 'examinaría', 'examinarías', 'examinaría', 'examinaríamos', 'examinaríais', 'examinarían'.
Present Subjunctive
yo: examine
The present subjunctive of 'examinar' (examine, examines, examinezamos, etc.) expresses wishes, doubts, or uncertainty.
Affirmative Imperative
yo: examina
The imperative of 'examinar' has regular commands like 'examina' (tú) and 'examine' (usted).
Negative Imperative
yo: no examines
Negative commands for 'examinar' use the present subjunctive: 'no examines' (tú), 'no examine' (usted).