saldar Imperfect Subjunctive Conjugation
saldar — to pay off
The imperfect subjunctive of saldar expresses past hypotheticals or wishes: saldara, saldaras, saldáramos, saldaran.
saldar Imperfect Subjunctive Forms
When to Use the Imperfect Subjunctive
Use the imperfect subjunctive of saldar for hypothetical situations in the past, polite requests, or to express wishes that were unlikely to happen. It often appears in 'if' clauses referring to the past.
Notes on saldar in the Imperfect Subjunctive
Saldar is regular in the imperfect subjunctive. Both the -ra and -se forms exist (e.g., saldara/saldase), but the -ra form is more common in everyday speech.
Example Sentences
Si saldara toda mi deuda, me sentiría libre.
If I paid off all my debt, I would feel free.
yo
Me pidieron que saldara el préstamo más rápido.
They asked me to pay off the loan faster.
él/ella/usted
Ojalá saldáramos el compromiso antes de fin de año.
I wish we could settle the commitment before the end of the year.
nosotros
Dudaba que ellos saldaran la cuenta tan pronto.
I doubted they would pay the bill so soon.
ellos/ellas/ustedes
Common Mistakes
Mistake: Using the preterite or imperfect indicative instead of the imperfect subjunctive.
Correct: In hypothetical 'if' clauses about the past, use the imperfect subjunctive: 'Si saldaba...' is incorrect, use 'Si saldara...'.
Why: The subjunctive mood is required for hypothetical or non-factual situations.
Mistake: Confusing the -ra and -se forms.
Correct: While both are technically correct, the -ra form (saldara) is generally more common and preferred in many regions.
Why: Consistency and regional preference are key.
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Related Tenses
Present
yo: saldo
The present tense of saldar indicates current actions or habits: saldo, saldas, salda, saldamos, saldáis, saldan.
Preterite
yo: saldé
The preterite of saldar describes completed past actions: saldé, saldaste, saldó, saldamos, saldasteis, saldaron.
Imperfect
yo: saldaba
The imperfect of saldar describes ongoing or habitual past actions: saldaba, saldabas, saldábamos, saldaban.
Future
yo: saldaré
The future tense of saldar indicates actions that will happen: saldaré, saldarás, saldará, saldaremos, saldaréis, saldarán.
Conditional
yo: saldaría
The conditional of saldar expresses hypothetical actions ('would pay off'): saldaría, saldarías, saldaríamos, saldarían.
Present Subjunctive
yo: salde
The present subjunctive of saldar is used for wishes, doubts, and recommendations: salde, saldes, saldemos, salden.
Affirmative Imperative
yo: salda
The imperative of saldar gives direct commands: salda (tú), salde (usted), saldemos (nosotros), salden (ustedes), saldad (vosotros).
Negative Imperative
yo: no saldes
Negative commands for saldar use the present subjunctive: no saldes (tú), no salde (usted), no saldemos (nosotros), no salden (ustedes), no saldéis (vosotros).