retratar Present Subjunctive Conjugation
retratar — to take a portrait
Present subjunctive 'retrate' (yo/él/ella/usted) and 'retrates' (tú) express wishes, doubts, or emotions.
retratar Present Subjunctive Forms
When to Use the Present Subjunctive
Use the present subjunctive after verbs of influence (wanting, ordering, asking), emotion (happy, sad, fear), doubt, denial, or impersonal expressions ('es importante que'). For 'retratar', it's used when someone wants, hopes, or doubts that a portrait is captured.
Notes on retratar in the Present Subjunctive
Retratar is regular in the present subjunctive. The forms are derived from the 'yo' form of the present indicative ('retrato'), dropping the -o and adding the opposite vowel endings (-e for -ar verbs).
Example Sentences
Espero que retrates mi casa.
I hope you capture my house.
tú
Quiero que usted retrate al presidente.
I want you to photograph the president.
Dudo que ellos retraten la verdad.
I doubt they capture the truth.
ellos/ellas/ustedes
Nos alegra que retratemos la naturaleza.
We are happy that we capture nature.
nosotros
Common Mistakes
Mistake: Using the present indicative instead of the subjunctive.
Correct: After 'Espero que...', use 'retrates' (subjunctive), not 'retratas' (indicative).
Why: Expressions of hope, desire, or doubt trigger the subjunctive mood.
Mistake: Incorrectly applying the 'yo' form endings to other persons.
Correct: The yo form is 'retrate', tú is 'retrates', él/ella/usted is 'retrate'.
Why: While the yo and él/ella/usted forms are the same, the tú form requires an -s.
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Related Tenses
Present
yo: retrato
Regular present tense: retrato, retratas, retrata, retratamos, retratáis, retratan.
Preterite
yo: retraté
Retratar is regular in the preterite: retraté, retrataste, retrató, retratamos, retratasteis, retrataron.
Imperfect
yo: retrataba
Regular imperfect: retrataba, retratabas, retrataba, retratábamos, retratabais, retrataban.
Future
yo: retrataré
Regular future: retrataré, retratarás, retratará, retrataremos, retrataréis, retratarán.
Conditional
yo: retrataría
Regular conditional: retrataría, retratarías, retrataría, retrataríamos, retrataríais, retratarían.
Imperfect Subjunctive
yo: retratara
The imperfect subjunctive 'retratara' (yo/él/ella/usted) and 'retrataras' (tú) are used for past hypotheticals or wishes.
Affirmative Imperative
yo: retrata
Imperative 'retrata' (tú) and 'retrate' (usted) are irregular, while others follow the regular -ar pattern.
Negative Imperative
yo: no retrates
Negative commands use the present subjunctive: 'no retrates' (tú), 'no retrate' (usted).