Imperfecto de Subjuntivo

Quería que me ayudaras

Spanish has four Subjuntivo tenses. We’ve learned only one of them, Presente de Subjuntivo. The fact that you should still learn three more, doesn’t have to trouble you. They are pretty similar in the way they are used, and almost all Subjuntivo markers will stay the same. They just have different verb forms. So, stay focused and get ready to consume one more piece of new verb endings.

The first type of Subjuntivo, Presente de Subjuntivo, is called like that, because it refers to the present. All the markers have forms of Presente.

Quiero que compres pan – I want you to buy bread

Espero que hoy haga sol – I hope that it’s sunny today

Notice, that the verbs quiero and espero have the present tense forms.

To say the same sentences in the past, like “I wanted you to buy bread” or “I hoped that it would be sunny”, we need another type of Subjuntivo, which is used exactly to express personal point of view or feelings in the past. It’s called Imperfecto de Subjuntivo.

Quería que compraras pan – I wanted you to buy bread

Esperaba que hiciera sol – I hoped that it would be sunny

The verb markers don’t necessarily have to come in Imperfecto. They can come in Indefinido and even in Pretérito Perfecto.

Quise que compraras pan – I wanted (instantly) you to buy bread

Mi mamá pidió que la ayudáramos – My mom asked us to help her

El camarero ha recomendado que comiera la especialidad de la casa – The waiter has recommended that I eat the speciality of the house

Forms

Now let’s move to the forms of Imperfecto de Subjuntivo. Take a look at the verb conjugation and then you’ll see a secret trick, that will allow you to conjugate every single verb right, including irregular verbs.

ayudar

yo – ayudara

tú – ayudaras

él, ella, usted – ayudara

nosotros – ayudáramos

vosotros – ayudarais

ellos, ellas, ustedes – ayudaran

beber

yo – bebiera

tú – bebieras

él, ella, usted – bebiera

nosotros – bebiéramos

vosotros – bebierais

ellos, ellas, ustedes – bebieran

salir

yo – saliera

tú – salieras

él, ella, usted – saliera

nosotros – saliéramos

vosotros – salierais

ellos, ellas, ustedes – salieran

Pay special attention to the pronunciation. In all cases the vocals a or e before r should be stressed.

The promised secret trick is that these forms pretty much resemble the Indefinido 3d person plural (ellos): ayudaron, bebieron, salieron. Hopefully, you remember Indefinido. So, based on the Indefinido for ellos, you can conjugate verbs in Imperfecto de Subjuntivo. All you need to do is to change a little bit the final letters in the endings.

pagar (Indefinido: pagaron)

pagara, pagaras, pagara, pagáramos, pagarais, pagaran

dormir (durmieron)

durmiera, durmieras, durmiera, durmiéramos, durmierais, durmieran

hacer (hicieron)

hiciera, hicieras, hiciera, hiciéramos, hicierais, hicieran

Memorize the form of the verb haber, as well.

haber – hubiera

Try to conjugate the following verbs by yourself: pensar, perder, decidir, poder, tener, traducir.

Try it yourself:

I wanted you to see the Mediterranean sea

The teacher told us to prepare better

It was necessary that you come

I wasn’t sure that you could start the car

I didn’t buy the computer so that you play all day long

My parents begged me to drive carefully

Thus, when you change all Subjuntivo markers into the past tenses, you need to apply Imperfecto de Subjuntivo for the verbs in the second part of the sentences.

Try it yourself:

Te deseo que tengas éxito – …

Os pido que me devolváis el reloj – …

Es posible que ellos no me entiendan – …

Es probable que sean las dos de la noche – …

Alejandro dice que vendrá cuando pueda – …

Se busca programador que pueda crear una página web – …

No creo que haya mucho trabajo en este pueblo – …

Despite the fact, that we are learning Subjuntivo at the final stages of this tutorial, it’s used extremely frequently in the everyday Spanish speech. Spanish has many verbal forms, but don’t let them confuse you. Keep on practicing, and sooner or later the’ll become your second nature. ¡Venga!