Advanced Subjunctive: Imperfect, 'If' Clauses & Beyond

Introduction

The present subjunctive covered wishes, doubts, and emotions in the present. The imperfect subjunctive (imperfecto de subjuntivo) does the same for the past and is essential for hypothetical "if" clauses. This is the gateway to sounding truly fluent.

Forming the Imperfect Subjunctive

Start with the ellos preterite form, drop -ron, and add:

Both forms (-ra and -se) are correct and interchangeable. The -ra form is more common in speech; -se is seen more in writing.

Examples

Any irregularity in the ellos preterite carries over automatically.

Si Clauses (If Clauses)

Possible conditions (present / future) — NO subjunctive

• Si llueve, me quedo en casa. — If it rains, I stay home.
• Si tienes tiempo, ven a la fiesta. — If you have time, come to the party.

Hypothetical conditions (unlikely / contrary to fact) — imperfect subjunctive + conditional

• Si tuviera dinero, viajaría por el mundo. — If I had money, I would travel the world.
• Si pudiera volar, iría a Japón. — If I could fly, I would go to Japan.
• Si fuera tú, no lo haría. — If I were you, I wouldn't do it.

Impossible past conditions — pluperfect subjunctive + conditional perfect

• Si hubiera sabido, habría venido. — If I had known, I would have come.
• Si hubiéramos estudiado, habríamos aprobado. — If we had studied, we would have passed.

Never use the conditional or present after "si" for hypotheticals. Si tendría and si tenga are always wrong.

Summary of Si Clause Patterns

Other Uses of the Imperfect Subjunctive

After past-tense triggers

When the main clause is in the past, the subjunctive shifts from present to imperfect:

Wishes with ojalá

• Ojalá llueva mañana. — I hope it rains tomorrow. (possible → present subj.)
• Ojalá lloviera. — I wish it would rain. (unlikely → imperfect subj.)
• Ojalá hubiera llovido. — I wish it had rained. (impossible → pluperfect subj.)

Polite requests with quisiera

• Quisiera un café. — I would like a coffee. (softer than quiero)
• Quisiera saber si… — I would like to know if…

Como Si (As If)

Como si always takes the imperfect or pluperfect subjunctive:

• Habla como si supiera todo. — He talks as if he knew everything.
• Me miró como si no me conociera. — She looked at me as if she didn't know me.
• Actúa como si nada hubiera pasado. — He acts as if nothing had happened.

Practice