Spanish: An Essential Grammar

Imperfect subjunctive

For uses see Chapter 12.

Regular imperfect subjunctive forms

The imperfect subjunctive has two sets of forms, one containing -raand

the other -se. Except in conditional sentences, where the -ra form is usual

(see Chapter 13), and except when the imperfect subjunctive is used as an

alternative to another tense (12.5), these sets are entirely interchangeable,

although the -raset is statistically the commoner of the two.

The forms are illustrated in Table 10.26.

Irregular imperfect subjunctive forms

The stem of the imperfect subjunctive derives from the 3rd person plural

of the preteritetense and is used for allpersons.

The ending -ronis removed and replaced by the -raor-se endings: e.g.

pidieron > pidie+ raor pidie+ se, produjeron > produje+ raor produje

+ se.

10.5.2

10.5.1

10.5^1111

2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

1011

1

12111

3 4 5 6 7 8 9

20111

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

30111

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

40

41111

10

Verb forms

120

Table 10.26Imperfect subjunctive (regular forms)

Hablar Beber Subir

-raform -seform -raform -seform -raform -seform

hablara hablase bebiera bebiese subiera subiese

hablaras hablases bebieras bebieses subieras subieses

hablara hablase bebiera bebiese subiera subiese

hablára- habláse- bebiéra- bebiése- subiéra- subiése-

mos mos mos mos mos mos

hablarais hablaseis bebierais bebieseis subierais subieseis

[SP] [SP] [SP] [SP] [SP] [SP]

hablaran hablasen bebieran bebiesen subieran subiesen