Imperfect Subjunctive

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Imperfect Subjunctive
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Formation

• Start with the third person preterite form
  ellos
• i.e. Hablaron
• Comieron
• Pudieron
• Supieron

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Remove the -ron
Add the new endings

?
-ra -ramos -ras -rais -ra -ran
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Hablara Habláramos Hablaras
Hablarais Hablara Hablaran
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Comiera Comiéramos Comieras
Comierais Comiera Comieran
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Pudiera Pudiéramos Pudieras
Pudierais Pudiera Pudieran
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Supiera Supiéramos Supieras
Supierais Supiera Supieran
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You may see these endings used, too! (not as
much)
?
?
-se -semos -ses -seis -se
-sen
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Why do we use it?
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In sentences requiring subjunctive, the imperfect
subjunctive must be used when
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the verb of the main clause is in a past tense.
This occurs
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• after a verb or expression of volition
• In other words a wish, an order, a suggestion or
  the forbidding of an action

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• after impersonal expressions conveying an implied
  command, opinion or judgement

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• after a verb or expression of emotion

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• after a verb or expression of doubt

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• after a relative pronoun when uncertainty is
  implied
• when the verb of the main clause is in the
  conditional

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• after a conjunction indicating
• a purpose or intent (para que),
• a restriction (con tal que) or
• anticipation (antes de que)

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Use this acronym!

• Advice/recommendations
• Wishes/wants
• Emotions
• Desires
• Doubt
• Impersonal expressions (of volition)
• Need/negation
• Goal/God willing (Ojalá)
• Unknown/non-existent

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After these adverbial clauses
En caso de que Sin que Con tal que A fin de
que/antes de que Para que A menos que
ESCAPA
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After these adverbial clauses, one sometimes
uses subjunctive, especially with a future even
that may or may not happen! CHAD ATE MUD OR
THE CALM DUDE
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Cuando Hasta que Aunque Después de que Así
que Tan pronto como En cuanto Mientras (de) Una
vez que De modo que/de manera que
CHAD ATE MUD
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Tan pronto como Hasta que En cuanto Cuando Aunque/
así que Luego que Mientras que Después de
que (de) Una vez que De modo que/de manera que En
cuanto
THE CALM DUDE
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Remember there are six very irregular verbs in
the present subjunctive Decir ? (yo) dé Ir ?
(yo) vaya Ser ? (yo) sea Haber ? (yo)
haya Estar ? (yo) esté Saber ? (yo) sepa
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In summary
Main Clause Dependent Clause Present
tense Present Subjunctive Past tense
Imperfect Subjunctive preterite, imperfect,
pluperfect or conditional (conditional perfect)
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Imperfect Subjunctive
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