subsistir Imperfect Conjugation
subsistir — to subsist
The imperfect 'subsistía' describes ongoing or habitual past actions of subsisting, or sets the background scene.
subsistir Imperfect Forms
When to Use the Imperfect
Use the imperfect tense for 'subsistir' to describe a situation in the past where someone was habitually or continuously managing to survive, or to set the scene for another past event. For example, 'They were subsisting on basic rations'.
Notes on subsistir in the Imperfect
'Subsistir' is regular in the imperfect tense. All endings follow the standard pattern for -ir verbs.
Example Sentences
Antes, yo subsistía con muy poco dinero.
Before, I used to subsist on very little money.
yo
¿Tú subsistías solo entonces?
Were you subsisting alone back then?
tú
Ellos subsistían de la caza y la recolección.
They subsisted from hunting and gathering.
ellos/ellas/ustedes
Ella subsistía con la ayuda de su familia.
She was subsisting with the help of her family.
él/ella/usted
Common Mistakes
Mistake: Using the imperfect when the preterite is needed for a single completed action.
Correct: Use 'Ella subsistió' for a completed event, not 'Ella subsistía'.
Why: The preterite marks a finished action, while the imperfect describes an ongoing or habitual past state.
Mistake: Confusing the imperfect 'subsistíamos' with the conditional 'subsistiríamos' or other forms.
Correct: Ensure you are using the correct imperfect ending: '-íamos' for 'nosotros'.
Why: The imperfect endings for -ir verbs are distinct and need to be learned correctly.
Master Spanish verbs in context
Memorizing tables only gets you so far. Read 200+ illustrated and narrated Spanish stories to see verbs like 'subsistir' used naturally — in the tenses you're learning.
Related Tenses
Present
yo: subsisto
The present indicative 'subsisto' is used for current states, habitual actions, or general truths about subsisting.
Preterite
yo: subsistí
The preterite of 'subsistir' is regular: subsistí, subsististe, subsistió, subsistimos, subsististeis, subsistieron.
Future
yo: subsistiré
The future tense 'subsistiré' is regular and used for actions that will happen or to express probability.
Conditional
yo: subsistiría
The conditional 'subsistiría' expresses hypotheticals ('would subsist'), polite requests, or future-in-the-past actions.
Present Subjunctive
yo: subsista
The present subjunctive ('subsista') is used after expressions of desire, doubt, emotion, and uncertainty.
Imperfect Subjunctive
yo: subsistiera
The imperfect subjunctive ('subsistiera' or 'subsistiese') expresses past hypotheticals, wishes, or doubts, often in 'if' clauses.
Affirmative Imperative
yo: subsiste
Commands like 'subsiste' (you singular) or 'subsistan' (they/you plural) are formed by taking the present subjunctive, with 'tú' and 'vosotros' being exceptions.
Negative Imperative
yo: no subsistas
Negative commands like 'no subsistas' (you singular) or 'no subsistan' (they/you plural) are always formed using the present subjunctive with 'no'.