solicitar Imperfect Subjunctive Conjugation
solicitar — to apply for
The imperfect subjunctive of solicitar (solicitara/solicitase) is used for past hypotheticals, wishes, or polite requests.
solicitar Imperfect Subjunctive Forms
When to Use the Imperfect Subjunctive
This tense is perfect for talking about hypothetical situations in the past, expressing wishes or doubts that were relevant in the past, or making very polite requests. If you wanted to say 'I would request' or 'If I were to apply,' you'd use this.
Notes on solicitar in the Imperfect Subjunctive
Solicitar is regular in the imperfect subjunctive. You form it by taking the third-person plural form of the preterite ('solicitaron'), dropping the '-ron', and adding the subjunctive endings (-ra/-ras/-ra/-ramos/-rais/-ran or -se/-ses/-se/-semos/-seis/-sen).
Example Sentences
Si pudiera, solicitaría más tiempo.
If I could, I would request more time.
yo
Me pidieron que solicitara la información.
They asked me to apply for the information.
yo
Era importante que ustedes solicitaran la visa pronto.
It was important that you all applied for the visa soon.
Ojalá el comité aceptara mi solicitud.
I hope the committee would accept my application.
él/ella/usted
Common Mistakes
Mistake: Using the conditional instead of the imperfect subjunctive for past hypotheticals.
Correct: For 'if' clauses referring to hypothetical past situations, use the imperfect subjunctive: 'Si solicitara...' not 'Si solicitaría...'.
Why: The 'si' clause referring to a hypothetical situation requires the subjunctive mood.
Mistake: Confusing the -ra and -se forms.
Correct: Both forms are correct and interchangeable: 'solicitara' and 'solicitase' mean the same thing.
Why: Different regions might favor one over the other, but both are grammatically valid.
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Related Tenses
Present
yo: solicito
The present tense of solicitar (solicito, solicitas, etc.) describes current actions, habits, or general truths about applying/requesting.
Preterite
yo: solicité
The preterite of solicitar is regular: solicité, solicitaste, solicitó, solicitamos, solicitasteis, solicitaron.
Imperfect
yo: solicitaba
The imperfect of solicitar (solicitaba, solicitabas, etc.) describes ongoing or habitual past requests/applications.
Future
yo: solicitaré
The future tense of solicitar (solicitaré, solicitarás, etc.) indicates actions that will happen.
Conditional
yo: solicitaría
The conditional of solicitar (solicitaría, solicitarías, etc.) expresses 'would' actions, polite requests, or future-in-the-past.
Present Subjunctive
yo: solicite
The present subjunctive of solicitar (solicite, solicites, etc.) is used after expressions of doubt, desire, emotion, or influence.
Affirmative Imperative
yo: solicita
Use the imperative of solicitar for direct commands: solicita (tú), solicite (usted), etc.
Negative Imperative
yo: no solicites
Negative commands for solicitar use the present subjunctive: no solicites (tú), no solicite (usted), etc.