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Spanish 3 Unit 6: Imperfect Subjunctive and Si Clauses

This unit teaches the imperfect (past) subjunctive, the sequence of tenses that decides when to use it, and si clauses for real and contrary-to-fact conditions. Si clauses are among the most tested structures in intermediate Spanish.

Covers: Forming the imperfect subjunctive, Irregular and stem-changing forms, Sequence of tenses, Real conditions, Contrary-to-fact conditions, Como si and ojalá

Study guide

The imperfect subjunctive is built from the ellos form of the preterite. Drop -ron and add -ra, -ras, -ra, -ramos, -rais, -ran: hablaron → habla- → hablara; comieron → comiera; vivieron → viviera. The nosotros form takes an accent on the vowel before the ending: habláramos, comiéramos. Because it starts from the preterite, every preterite irregularity carries over: tuvieron → tuviera, hicieron → hiciera, dijeron → dijera, fueron → fuera (for both ser and ir), pidieron → pidiera, durmieron → durmiera, leyeron → leyera. There is also an -se form (hablase, comiese), common in Spain and in writing, with the same meaning.

The imperfect subjunctive uses the same triggers you already know (wishes, emotion, doubt, ESCAPA conjunctions, unknown antecedents), but it appears when the main clause is in a past tense or the conditional. This is the sequence of tenses. Present main verb: Quiero que vengas. Past main verb: Quería que vinieras. Conditional main verb: Me gustaría que vinieras. Also: Dudaba que fuera verdad; Buscaba un libro que tuviera fotos; Salí antes de que llegaran. The trigger decides whether to use the subjunctive; the tense of the main verb decides which subjunctive.

Si (if) clauses come in two main types for this course. A real or likely condition uses si + present indicative with a present, future or command in the result: Si llueve, me quedo en casa / me quedaré en casa / quédate en casa. Never use the present subjunctive after si. A contrary-to-fact or unlikely condition about the present or future uses si + imperfect subjunctive with the conditional in the result: Si tuviera dinero, viajaría (If I had money, I would travel, but I don't). The clauses can come in either order: Viajaría si tuviera dinero.

A third type, contrary to fact in the past, uses si + pluperfect subjunctive with the conditional perfect: Si hubiera estudiado, habría aprobado (If I had studied, I would have passed). You will practice the perfect forms more in the next unit, but recognize the pattern now. A useful check is to translate into English: if English uses if + past (if I had, if she were) with would, Spanish almost always uses the imperfect subjunctive with the conditional. Remember that English were in if I were you is fuera in Spanish: Si yo fuera tú, no lo haría.

Two more structures always take the imperfect subjunctive. Como si (as if) is always followed by the imperfect or pluperfect subjunctive, even when the main verb is present: Habla como si fuera el jefe (He talks as if he were the boss). Ojalá + imperfect subjunctive expresses a wish that is impossible or unlikely: Ojalá tuviera más tiempo (I wish I had more time), while ojalá + present subjunctive expresses a real hope: Ojalá tenga tiempo (I hope he has time). Finally, quisiera, pudiera and debiera can be used as extra-polite forms: Quisiera hacer una reserva.

Key ideas

• The imperfect subjunctive comes from the preterite ellos form minus -ron plus -ra endings.
• All preterite irregularities carry into the imperfect subjunctive (tuviera, hiciera, fuera).
• A past or conditional main verb with a trigger takes the imperfect subjunctive.
• Si + present indicative expresses real or likely conditions; the present subjunctive never follows si.
• Si + imperfect subjunctive + conditional expresses contrary-to-fact present or future conditions.
• Como si always takes the imperfect or pluperfect subjunctive.
• Ojalá + imperfect subjunctive expresses an unlikely or impossible wish.

Formulas and rules

Common mistakes

• Using the present subjunctive after si (*Si tenga tiempo).
• Using the conditional in both clauses (*Si tendría dinero, viajaría).
• Building the imperfect subjunctive from the infinitive instead of the preterite (*tenera, *hacera).
• Using the present subjunctive after a past trigger (*Quería que vengas).
• Forgetting the accent in the nosotros form (*hablaramos instead of habláramos).

Before the test, make sure you can

• Form the imperfect subjunctive of regular and irregular verbs from the preterite.
• Apply the sequence of tenses after past and conditional triggers.
• Form real conditions with si + present indicative.
• Form contrary-to-fact conditions with si + imperfect subjunctive and the conditional.
• Recognize past contrary-to-fact si clauses.
• Use como si and ojalá with the imperfect subjunctive.
• Correct common si clause errors such as the conditional after si.

Words to know

si

if

como si

as if

en ese caso

in that case

imaginarse

to imagine

soñar con

to dream about

ganar la lotería

to win the lottery

ahorrar

to save (money)

gastar

to spend

la oportunidad

opportunity

el presupuesto

budget

la pobreza

poverty

el medio ambiente

the environment

la igualdad

equality

el gobierno

government

resolver (ue)

to solve

cambiar el mundo

to change the world

quisiera

I would like (very polite)

pudiera

could (very polite)

debiera

should (formal)

Sample practice questions

30 more questions like these, from level 1 to 5, are in the practice set.