Spanish/Imperfect Subjunctive

Verbs | Verb Tenses

The Imperfect Subjunctive is related to the pretérito and imperfecto de indicativo as the presente de subjuntivo is related to the presente de indicativo. That is, when the verb of the independent clause is in the present, the present subjunctive is used in the dependent clause, and when the verb of the independent clause is in the preterite or imperfect, the imperfect subjunctive is used.

No quiero que rompas la lámpara. —I don't want you to break the lamp.

No quería que rompieras la lámpara. —I didn't want you to break the lamp.

Conjugations

Similar to the presente de subjuntivo, begin with the third-person plural-form of the pretérito (ellos, ellas, and Ustedes). Then, remove the -ron and add the following endings.

Hablar hablaron -> habla-

Hablara     Hablarémos
Hablaras    Hablaráis
Hablara     Hablaran

Comer comieron -> comie-

Comiera     Comiéramos
Comieras    Comieráis
Comiera     Comieran

Vivir vivieron -> vivie-

Viviera     Viviéramos
Vivieras    Vivieráis
Viviera     Vivieran