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A woman smiling brightly in surprise and happiness as she recognizes an old friend walking past her on a sunny street.

reconocer Imperfect Subjunctive Conjugation

reconocerrecognize

A2irregular (in the 'yo' form of the present tense) -er★★★★★
Quick answer:

The imperfect subjunctive uses the 'reconocier-' stem.

reconocer Imperfect Subjunctive Forms

yoreconociera
reconocieras
él/ella/ustedreconociera
nosotrosreconociéramos
vosotrosreconocierais
ellos/ellas/ustedesreconocieran

When to Use the Imperfect Subjunctive

Use this for hypothetical past situations or 'if' clauses, like 'If I recognized him, I would say hello.'

Notes on reconocer in the Imperfect Subjunctive

This tense is built from the third-person plural preterite (reconocieron). Drop the -on and add the endings.

Example Sentences

  • Si me reconociera, me saludaría.

    If he recognized me, he would say hello.

    él/ella/usted

  • Ojalá nos reconocieran por nuestro mérito.

    I wish they recognized us for our merit.

    ellos/ellas/ustedes

  • Si tú reconocieras la verdad, todo sería más fácil.

    If you recognized the truth, everything would be easier.

Common Mistakes

  • Mistake: Using 'reconozca' instead of 'reconociera' in an 'if' clause.

    Correct: Use 'reconociera'.

    Why: In hypothetical 'if' sentences (second conditional), Spanish requires the imperfect subjunctive, not the present.

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