Imperfect Subjunctive
Imperfecto de subjuntivo
The -ra forms from the ellos preterite (quisiera, fuera, tuviera) for the past, politeness and hypotheticals.
The rule
The imperfect subjunctive is built on one reliable trick: take the ELLOS form of the preterite, drop -ron, add -ra endings (hablaron → hablara, comieron → comiera, fueron → fuera, tuvieron → tuviera, pudieron → pudiera, dijeron → dijera, hicieron → hiciera). Every preterite irregularity carries over for free, which is why the trick beats memorising. (The -se forms, hablase and fuese, mean the same; the -ra set is more common in speech.) When do you need it? Wherever the present subjunctive would appear, but shifted to the PAST: 'Quiero que duermas' → 'Quería que durmieras'; 'Es importante que coma' → 'Era importante que comiera'. Plus three frames of its own: hypothetical si clauses ('si tuviera…'), como si + imperfect subjunctive always ('como si fuera'), and quisiera as the polite want ('Quisiera una mesa para dos' softens 'quiero'). The nosotros form carries an accent: habláramos, fuéramos.
Examples
Quería que el bebé durmiera un poco más.
I wanted the baby to sleep a bit longer. (past trigger → imperfect subjunctive)
Era importante que comiera algo antes de salir.
It was important that he ate something before going out. (impersonal past trigger)
Me trata como si fuera su hermano.
He treats me as if I were his brother. (como si, always)
Quisiera un turno para mañana, por favor.
I'd like an appointment for tomorrow, please. (quisiera = polite quiero)
hablaron → hablara · tuvieron → tuviera · fueron → fuera
they spoke → I/he spoke (subj.) · they had → had (subj.) · they went/were → were (subj.) (the ellos-preterite trick)
Try it yourself
Three quick questions, straight from the app. No sign-up needed.
En la farmacia: «___ algo para los mocos del bebé, por favor.»
At the pharmacy: "I'd like something for the baby's sniffles, please."
All 12 Imperfect Subjunctive questions, free in Hablaba
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