maquinar Imperfect Subjunctive Conjugation
maquinar — to plot
Use 'maquinara' or 'maquinase' for past hypotheticals or wishes.
maquinar Imperfect Subjunctive Forms
When to Use the Imperfect Subjunctive
The imperfect subjunctive is used for hypothetical situations in the past, polite requests, or to express wishes or doubts in past contexts. Think 'If I were to plot...' or 'I wish he would plot...'.
Notes on maquinar in the Imperfect Subjunctive
Maquinar is regular in the imperfect subjunctive. Both the -ra and -se forms are correct, though -ra is more common. For example, 'maquinara' and 'maquinase' are interchangeable.
Example Sentences
Si yo maquinara un plan, te lo diría.
If I were to plot a plan, I would tell you.
yo
Me gustaría que él maquinara algo para nosotros.
I would like him to plot something for us.
él/ella/usted
Ellos habrían ganado si maquinaran mejor.
They would have won if they had plotted better.
ellos/ellas/ustedes
¿Qué harías si tú maquinases una estrategia secreta?
What would you do if you plotted a secret strategy?
tú
Common Mistakes
Mistake: Using the imperfect indicative instead of the imperfect subjunctive.
Correct: Use 'Si yo maquinara...' not 'Si yo maquinaba...'.
Why: 'Maquinaba' describes a past ongoing action, while 'maquinara' introduces a hypothetical or unreal condition.
Mistake: Forgetting the accent on the '-ra' forms.
Correct: The yo, tú, él/ella/usted, and ellos/ellas/ustedes forms require an accent: maquinara, maquinaras, maquinara, maquinaran.
Why: The accent indicates the stressed syllable in these forms.
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Related Tenses
Present
yo: maquino
Use 'maquino' and 'maquina' for current or habitual plotting.
Preterite
yo: maquiné
Use 'maquiné' and 'maquinó' for completed past plotting actions.
Imperfect
yo: maquinaba
Use 'maquinaba' for ongoing or habitual past plotting.
Future
yo: maquinaré
Use 'maquinaré' and 'maquinará' for future plotting.
Conditional
yo: maquinaría
Use 'maquinaría' for hypothetical plotting or polite suggestions.
Present Subjunctive
yo: maquine
Use 'maquine' (yo/él/ella/usted) and 'maquinen' (ustedes) for wishes, doubts, or emotions.
Affirmative Imperative
yo: maquina
Use 'maquina' (tú) and 'maquinen' (ustedes) for direct commands with maquinar.
Negative Imperative
yo: no maquines
Use 'no maquines' (tú) and 'no maquinen' (ustedes) for negative commands.