Table of Contents

• What Exactly *Is* the Imperfect Subjunctive?
• How to Form the Imperfect Subjunctive (It's Easier Than You Think!)
  • The Magic Formula
  • The Two Sets of Endings: `-ra` vs. `-se`
• When to Use the Imperfect Subjunctive: The Core Scenarios
  • 1. Hypothetical 'If' Clauses (Si Clauses)
  • 2. Expressing Wishes with `Ojalá`
  • 3. After WEIRDO Verbs in the Past (Sequence of Tenses)
  • 4. Polite Suggestions and Requests
  • 5. After `Como si` (As if)
• Let's Practice!
• You've Got This!

Spanish Imperfect Subjunctive: A Guide to Wishes and 'What Ifs'

Ever found yourself daydreaming and thinking, "If I won the lottery..." or "I wish I were on a beach right now"? In English, we use phrases like "if I were," "if I had," or "I would" to talk about these imaginary worlds. In Spanish, this magical, hypothetical realm is the territory of the imperfect subjunctive.

It might sound intimidating, but trust us, it's one of the most expressive and useful tools you can add to your Spanish toolkit. It's the key that unlocks a whole new level of nuance, allowing you to talk about wishes, "what ifs," polite requests, and opinions about the past.

Ready to dive into the world of hypotheticals? Let's go!

what if." "The imperfect subjunctive is the language of wishes and hypothetical 'what ifs'.

What Exactly Is the Imperfect Subjunctive?

First things first: the subjunctive is a mood, not a tense. While tenses (like past, present, future) tell us when an action happens, moods tell us the speaker's attitude toward that action. The indicative mood states facts (Yo como tacos - I eat tacos), while the subjunctive mood deals with things that are subjective, uncertain, or hypothetical.

You've likely already met the present subjunctive, used for wishes, emotions, and doubts about the present or future (e.g., Espero que vengas - I hope you come).

The imperfect subjunctive (or pretérito imperfecto de subjuntivo) does a similar job, but it lives in two main worlds:

1. The world of hypotheticals: Talking about situations in the present or future that are unlikely or contrary to fact. (e.g., "If I were a millionaire...")
2. The world of the past: Expressing the same wishes, emotions, and doubts, but when the main action took place in the past. (e.g., "He wanted me to go...")

Don't worry if this seems abstract. Once you see it in action, it will all click into place.

Mastering the mechanics unlocks the expressive power of the mood.

How to Form the Imperfect Subjunctive (It's Easier Than You Think!)

Here's the good news: forming the imperfect subjunctive has a simple, three-step formula that works for regular and irregular verbs. No long lists of exceptions to memorize!

The Magic Formula

1. Start with the 3rd person plural (ellos/ellas) form of the preterite tense.
2. Drop the final -ron.
3. Add the imperfect subjunctive endings.

Let's see it with a few examples:

Infinitive	3rd Person Plural Preterite	Step 2: The Stem
hablar	hablaron	habla-
comer	comieron	comie-
vivir	vivieron	vivie-
tener	tuvieron	tuvie-
ser/ir	fueron	fue-
decir	dijeron	dije-

See? Even for irregulars like tener, ser, and decir, the rule holds true. If you know their preterite form, you can find the subjunctive stem.

The Two Sets of Endings: -ra vs. -se

Spanish gives you two-for-one with the imperfect subjunctive! There are two complete sets of endings, and they are almost always interchangeable.

The -ra endings are far more common in everyday speech across the Spanish-speaking world. The -se endings are considered a bit more formal or literary. You should be able to recognize both, but you can probably stick to using the -ra endings when you speak.

Here are the endings added to our stems:

-ra Endings

Pronoun	hablar (habla-)	comer (comie-)	vivir (vivie-)
yo	hablara	comiera	viviera
tú	hablaras	comieras	vivieras
él/ella	hablara	comiera	viviera
nosotros	habláramos	comiéramos	viviéramos
vosotros	hablarais	comierais	vivierais
ellos/ellas	hablaran	comieran	vivieran

-se Endings

Pronoun	hablar (hablase)	comer (comiese)	vivir (viviese)
yo	hablase	comiese	viviese
tú	hablases	comieses	vivieses
él/ella	hablase	comiese	viviese
nosotros	hablásemos	comiésemos	viviésemos
vosotros	hablaseis	comieseis	vivieseis
ellos/ellas	hablasen	comiesen	viviesen

Time for a quick check!

When to Use the Imperfect Subjunctive: The Core Scenarios

Now for the fun part: using this new tool! The imperfect subjunctive pops up in a few key situations.

1. Hypothetical 'If' Clauses (Si Clauses)

This is the classic "what if" scenario and arguably the most common use of the imperfect subjunctive. You use it to talk about things that are contrary to fact or very unlikely to happen.

The structure is a beautiful partnership between two moods:

Si + [imperfect subjunctive], ... [conditional]

• Si yo **tuviera** más tiempo, **leeríamos** más libros. (If I had more time, we would read more books.)
• Si **fueras** un animal, ¿cuál **serías**? (If you were an animal, which one would you be?)
• Ellos **comprarían** la casa si **costara** menos. (They would buy the house if it cost less.)

This is very different from talking about real, possible conditions, where you use the indicative mood.

The first sentence means, "If I have time, I'll call you." (It's a real possibility). The second means, "If I had time, I would call you." (But I don't, so it's hypothetical).

2. Expressing Wishes with Ojalá

You probably know that Ojalá que + present subjunctive expresses a hope for the future (¡Ojalá que no llueva! - I hope it doesn't rain!).

When you use Ojalá (que) with the imperfect subjunctive, you're expressing a wish that is very unlikely or impossible. It's the equivalent of "I wish..." or "If only..."

• ¡Ojalá **estuviera** en la playa ahora mismo! (I wish I were on the beach right now! / If only I were on the beach...)
• Ojalá **ganara** la lotería. (I wish I would win the lottery.)
• Ojalá no **hiciera** tanto frío. (I wish it weren't so cold.)

3. After WEIRDO Verbs in the Past (Sequence of Tenses)

Remember the WEIRDO acronym for the subjunctive? (Wishes, Emotions, Impersonal expressions, Recommendations, Doubt, Ojalá). The same triggers apply here, but with a twist.

The Rule: If the WEIRDO verb in the main clause is in a past tense (imperfect, preterite, conditional), you must use the imperfect subjunctive in the clause that follows que.

Let's break it down:

• Wishes:
  • Present: Quiero que **vengas**. (I want you to come.)
  • Past: Quería que **vinieras**. (I wanted you to come.)
• Emotions:
  • Present: Me sorprende que **sepas** eso. (It surprises me that you know that.)
  • Past: Me sorprendió que **supieras** eso. (It surprised me that you knew that.)
• Impersonal Expressions:
  • Present: Es necesario que **estudies**. (It's necessary that you study.)
  • Past: Era necesario que **estudiaras**. (It was necessary that you study.)
• Recommendations:
  • Present: Te recomiendo que **leas** el libro. (I recommend that you read the book.)
  • Past: Te recomendé que **leyeras** el libro. (I recommended that you read the book.)
• Doubt/Denial:
  • Present: No creo que **sea** verdad. (I don't think it's true.)
  • Past: No creía que **fuera** verdad. (I didn't think it was true.)

4. Polite Suggestions and Requests

Using 'quisiera' softens requests, perfect for ordering two coffees politely.

This is a wonderfully subtle and common use of the imperfect subjunctive, especially with the verbs querer, deber, and poder. Using it softens the tone and makes you sound much more polite.

• **Quisiera** dos cafés, por favor. (I would like two coffees, please.) - This sounds much softer than Quiero dos cafés.
• **Pudieras** ayudarme un momento? (Could you help me for a moment?)
• **Debieras** hablar con él. (You should probably talk to him.)

The -ra form of these verbs essentially functions as a more polite version of the conditional.

5. After Como si (As if)

This one's a freebie. The phrase como sias if is always followed by the imperfect subjunctive. Always.

• Me miró como si no me **conociera**. (He looked at me as if he didn't know me.)
• Gasta dinero como si **fuera** millonario. (He spends money as if he were a millionaire.)
• Corría como si **viera** un fantasma. (He was running as if he saw a ghost.)

Let's Practice!

Feeling ready to try it out? Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the imperfect subjunctive.

1. Si yo ______ (ser) tú, aceptaría el trabajo.

   Answer: fuera

2. Mis padres querían que yo ______ (estudiar) medicina.

   Answer: estudiara / estudiase

3. ¡Ojalá ______ (tener) vacaciones pronto!

   Answer: tuviera / tuviese

4. Él actúa como si no ______ (pasar) nada.

   Answer: pasara / pasase

You've Got This!

The imperfect subjunctive can feel like a big leap, but it's a game-changer for your Spanish fluency. It allows you to express yourself with more sophistication, nuance, and creativity.

Start by mastering the main "if" clause structure (Si tuviera..., viajaría...). Practice making your own "what if" sentences. Before you know it, you'll be wishing, dreaming, and hypothesizing like a pro.

It takes practice, but every quisiera, fuera, and pudiera you use is a huge step toward sounding more natural and expressive in Spanish. ¡Sigue adelante!