imitar Imperfect Subjunctive Conjugation
imitar — to copy
The imperfect subjunctive of imitar (imitaran, imitara, etc.) expresses past hypotheticals or wishes.
imitar Imperfect Subjunctive Forms
When to Use the Imperfect Subjunctive
This tense is used for hypothetical situations in the past, wishes, or polite requests that were made in the past. It's often used in 'if' clauses (si...) when the main clause refers to a past possibility.
Notes on imitar in the Imperfect Subjunctive
Imitar is regular in the imperfect subjunctive. Both the -ra and -se endings are possible, with -ra being more common in everyday speech.
Example Sentences
Si yo imitara su estilo, me criticarían.
If I copied his style, they would criticize me.
yo
Ojalá él imitara a su padre.
I wish he would copy his father.
él/ella/usted
Nos pidieron que imitaramos la reacción.
They asked us to copy the reaction.
nosotros
Ellos hablaron como si imitaran a los actores.
They spoke as if they were imitating the actors.
ellos/ellas/ustedes
Common Mistakes
Mistake: Confusing imperfect subjunctive with imperfect indicative.
Correct: Use the imperfect subjunctive for hypothetical or non-factual past situations ('Si imitara...') and the imperfect indicative for descriptions or ongoing actions in the past ('Él imitaba...').
Why: The subjunctive mood is for uncertainty, desire, or unreality, while the indicative is for facts.
Mistake: Using the -se ending when -ra is more common.
Correct: While both are correct, 'imitara' is generally more frequent than 'imitase' in spoken Spanish.
Why: Regional and stylistic preferences exist for the two imperfect subjunctive endings.
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Related Tenses
Present
yo: imito
Imitar is regular in the present: imito, imitas, imita, imitamos, imitáis, imitan.
Preterite
yo: imité
Imitar is regular in the preterite: imité, imitaste, imitó, imitamos, imitasteis, imitaron.
Imperfect
yo: imitaba
The imperfect of imitar is regular: imitaba, imitabas, imitaba, imitábamos, imitabais, imitaban.
Future
yo: imitaré
The future of imitar is regular: imitaré, imitarás, imitará, imitaremos, imitaréis, imitarán.
Conditional
yo: imitaría
The conditional of imitar is regular: imitaría, imitarías, imitaría, imitaríamos, imitaríais, imitarían.
Present Subjunctive
yo: imite
The present subjunctive of imitar (imite, imites, etc.) expresses wishes, doubts, or emotions.
Affirmative Imperative
yo: imita
Imita and imita forms are regular commands for 'imitar'.
Negative Imperative
yo: no imites
Negative commands use the present subjunctive: no imites, no imite, no imitemos, no imiten, no imitéis.