muriera
moo-RYE-rah
Quick Reference
📝 In Action
Mi madre temía que yo muriera de frío esa noche.
B1My mother feared that I might die of cold that night.
Si él muriera, la empresa colapsaría inmediatamente.
B2If he were to die, the company would collapse immediately.
Era necesario que alguien muriera para salvar al resto.
C1It was necessary for someone to die to save the rest.
💡 Grammar Points
Subjunctive for Past Doubt
This form ('muriera') is the past version of the special verb form (Subjunctive). You use it when talking about past actions that were uncertain, doubtful, or wished for by someone else: 'Dudaba que él muriera.' (I doubted that he would die.)
Hypothetical Situations
You use 'muriera' in 'if' clauses (si clauses) to talk about unlikely or hypothetical situations: 'Si muriera mañana...' (If I were to die tomorrow...).
❌ Common Pitfalls
The Stem Change
Mistake: "Using the 'o' stem instead of the 'u' stem, like *moriera*."
Correction: The correct form is 'muriera'. Remember that in the past tenses and the subjunctive, the 'o' in 'morir' changes to a 'u'.
Choosing the Right Form
Mistake: "Using the Indicative past ('murió') when expressing doubt or emotion."
Correction: When the main clause expresses feelings or uncertainty about a past event, you need the special verb form: 'Me entristeció que muriera' (It saddened me that he died).
⭐ Usage Tips
Two Correct Forms
The Imperfect Subjunctive has two forms: 'muriera' and 'muriese'. They mean the exact same thing and are interchangeable, though 'muriera' is slightly more common in most regions.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: muriera
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence correctly uses 'muriera' to express a past fear?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'muriera' the same as 'muriese'?
Yes, they are two equally correct ways to conjugate the Imperfect Subjunctive (the past special verb form). You can choose whichever one you prefer, as they are interchangeable in modern Spanish.
Why does 'morir' change its vowel to 'u' in 'muriera'?
The verb 'morir' is irregular. When forming the past tenses (like the preterite and the subjunctive), the 'o' in the stem changes to a 'u'. This is a common pattern for many 'o-ir' verbs in Spanish.