Imperfect Subjunctive in Spanish Grammar

The imperfect subjunctive

The imperfect subjunctive can refer to the past, present or future; we know which via the time markers in the sentence.

Examples:

Mi empresa me pidió que probara a trabajar una semana desde casa.My company asked me to try working from home for one week. → past

Ojalá trabajara desde casa.I wish I could work from home. → present

Dudo que me cansara alguna vez del campo.I doubt that I would ever get tired of the countryside. → future

In compound sentences that contain the subjunctive, the main clause can be in:

• the present or present perfect indicative

  Examples:

  Es una lástima que no pueda trabajar desde casa.It’s a shame that I can’t work from home.

  Me ha molestado que no tomaran nuestra opinión en cuenta.It annoyed me that they didn’t consider our opinion.

• a past tense: the imperfect, preterite or past perfect

  Examples:

  Me encantaba que mi colega de oficina nos contara sus aventuras en el metro.I used to love it when my colleague would tell us stories about his adventures on the metro.

  Me molestó que mi colega de oficina pusiera la radio durante toda la mañana.I was annoyed that my colleague had the radio on all day.

  Nuestro jefe nos había pedido que creáramos un buen ambiente para trabajar.Our boss had asked us to create a good working environment.

• the conditional

  Example:

  Me encantaría que mi empresa me dejara trabajar desde casa.I would love it if my company let me work from home.

How to conjugate the imperfect subjunctive

Regular verbs

To conjugate a verb in the imperfect subjunctive, we remove the infinitive endings (-ar, -er, -ir) and add the endings shown in the table below.

Note: in the imperfect subjunctive, there are two possible conjugations for each person. There is no difference in meaning and they are used interchangeably.

Irregular verbs in the imperfect subjunctive

The verbs ir and ser

The verbs ir and ser have the same conjugation in the imperfect subjunctive.

Stem-changing verbs

Some verbs change the final vowel in their stem in the imperfect subjunctive: a → i, e → i, a → u, o → u. We then add the same subjunctive endings.

• Vowel change a → i: hacer.
• Vowel change e → i: conseguir, elegir, pedir, perseguir, repetir, seguir, sentir, venir.
• Vowel change a → u: haber.
• Vowel change o → u: dormir, morir, poder.

*In the imperfect, the verb haber can only be used in the 3^rd person singular in impersonal sentences.

Verbs with an irregular stem

Some verbs have an irregular stem in the imperfect subjunctive. They take the -er/-ir verb endings.

Verbs that add a j or y

For some verbs, we have to remove the final i and add a j or y before adding the imperfect subjunctive endings: (yo) -era, -ese; (tú) -eras, -eses; (él) -era, -ese; (nosotros) -éramos, -ésemos; (vosotros) -erais, -eseis; (ellos) -eran, -esen.

• traducir → traduj-

  Example:

  yo tradujera o tradujese

• traer → traj-

  Example:

  tú trajeras o trajeses

• decir → dij-

  Example:

  ella dijera o dijese

• caer → cay-

  Example:

  nosotros cayéramos o cayésemos

• leer → ley-

  Example:

  vosotros leyerais o leyeseis

• oír → oy-

  Example:

  ellas oyeran u oyesen

• huir → huy-

  Example:

  ustedes huyeran o huyesen

When to use the imperfect subjunctive

Subjectivity

The subjunctive allows the speaker to show their subjective attitude towards the information presented. Whether the information is true or false is irrelevant, the speaker’s subjectivity is the focus.

The expression or clause that introduces the subjunctive indicates the speaker’s feelings:

Examples:

Ojalá pudiera teletrabajar.I wish I could work remotely.

subjective statement: subjunctive

En mi actual trabajo no puedo teletrabajar.At my current job, I can’t work remotely.

standard statement of fact: indicative

This subjectivity can take several forms:

Feelings and emotions

Verbs that express the speaker’s feelings about an action or situation are always followed by the subjunctive.

*The expressions quizá(s), tal vez, posiblemente, probablemente and seguramente are followed by the indicative when they talk about the past (e.g. Seguramente sería incluso más productiva desde casa.I would probably be even more productive from home.).

Negated opinions and doubts

Verbs of opinion and thought are only followed by the subjunctive when they are negated.

Examples:

No creo que me cansara de la vida en el campo.I don’t think I would get tired of life in the countryside. → subjunctive

Creo que no me cansaría de la vida en el campo.I think I wouldn’t get tired of life in the countryside. → indicative

Creo que me cansaría de la vida en el campo.I think I would get tired of life in the countryside. → indicative

• Verbs of opinion: creer, estar seguro/-a/-os/-as de, parecer, pensar, suponer, etc.

Sequence of tenses with the imperfect subjunctive

The imperfect subjunctive follows main clauses that contain the present, past or conditional.

• Main clause in the present or past

If the main clause contains the present or the past (imperfect, preterite or past perfect), the sentence refers to a past situation.

Example:

Fue maravilloso que mis jefes me dejaran teletrabajar unos días.It was great that my bosses let me work remotely for a few days.

• Main clause in the conditional

If the main clause contains the conditional tense, the sentence refers to a situation in the present or future or to a hypothetical situation.

Examples:

Me gustaría que mis jefes me dejaran teletrabajar siempre.I would love it if my bosses let me work remotely forever.

• Main clause in the present perfect

If the main clause contains the present perfect tense, it is unclear whether the action in the subjunctive has already happened or not.

Example:

Mis jefes han sugerido que trabajáramos desde casa unos días como prueba.My bosses have suggested that we work from home for a few days as a trial.

it is unclear whether the trial has already taken place or not

The unreal conditional

The imperfect subjunctive is used in unreal conditional sentences. These sentences imagine a present or future scenario that can only happen once a certain condition has been fulfilled.

Example:

Si trabajara desde casa, viviría en una casita en el campo.If I worked from home, I would live in a little house in the countryside.

• The verb in the if-clause (si…) is conjugated in the imperfect subjunctive and presents the imaginary or hypothetical condition that must be fulfilled in order for the action in the main clause to happen.
• The verb in the main clause contains the conditional.

Conjunctions that take the subjunctive

The imperfect subjunctive is also used after certain conjunctions. These are linking words that connect a main clause to a subordinate clause. Learn more about the Spanish conjunctions that take the subjunctive.

Example:

Les enviaría un informe de mi trabajo en cuanto terminara mi jornada laboral.I would send them a report on my work as soon as I finished my working day.

The subjunctive in sentences with two subjects

Another feature of subjunctive sentences is that there is usually a change of subject (el cambio de sujeto) between the main clause and the subordinate clause. When the subject is the same in both clauses, we use the infinitive rather than the subjunctive.

Examples:

Mis jefes quisieron que trabajara desde casa una semana como prueba.My bosses wanted me to work from home for a week as a trial.

change of subject: subject 1 (mis jefes) vs. subject 2 (yo)

Querría trabajar desde casa al menos dos días a la semana.I would like to work from home at least two days a week.

no change of subject: subject 1 (yo) = subject 2 (yo)

Learn more about the subjunctive in sentences with two different subjects.

Verbs and expressions that take the subjunctive

Check out the following lists to see which Spanish verbs and expressions take the subjunctive:

• List of Spanish verbs that take the subjunctive
• List of Spanish expressions that take the subjunctive