B1 Spanish grammar
Spanish Imperfect Subjunctive: The -Ra Forms
Build the common -ra imperfect subjunctive from the ellos preterite. This preserves irregular preterite stems and provides the form needed for basic hypothetical conditions and past reported influence.
Imperfect subjunctive formula
ellos preterite minus -ron + -ra endings
Build the stem from the third-person plural preterite, then add -ra, -ras, -ra, -ramos, -rais, or -ran.
Regular imperfect subjunctive: -ar
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | hablara |
| tú | hablaras |
| él / ella / usted | hablara |
| nosotros | habláramos |
| vosotros | hablarais |
| ellos / ellas / ustedes | hablaran |
The nosotros form carries a written accent before -ramos.
Regular imperfect subjunctive: -er
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | comiera |
| tú | comieras |
| él / ella / usted | comiera |
| nosotros | comiéramos |
| vosotros | comierais |
| ellos / ellas / ustedes | comieran |
The nosotros form carries a written accent before -ramos.
Regular imperfect subjunctive: -ir
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | viviera |
| tú | vivieras |
| él / ella / usted | viviera |
| nosotros | viviéramos |
| vosotros | vivierais |
| ellos / ellas / ustedes | vivieran |
The nosotros form carries a written accent before -ramos.
Spanish imperfect subjunctive: Start from the ellos preterite
Take the third-person plural preterite and remove -ron to form the base.
Quería que ellos tuvieran tiempo.Quick check
Choose the Spanish translation.
I wanted her to tell me the truth.
Add the -ra endings
Add -ra, -ras, -ra, -ramos, -rais, and -ran; the vowel before -ramos carries an accent.
Era importante que habláramos juntos.Use the form in a basic hypothesis
After si, the imperfect subjunctive presents an unreal, unlikely, or imagined present/future condition.
Si tuviera tiempo, viajaría.Build the sentence
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Translate into Spanish
I wanted them to have time.
Choose the opening of the sentence.
Common mistakes
Quería que ellos teneran tiempo.
Quería que ellos tuvieran tiempo.
Start from tuvieron, not the infinitive.
Era importante que hablaramos juntos.
Era importante que habláramos juntos.
The nosotros form requires a written accent.
Si tendría tiempo, viajaría.
Si tuviera tiempo, viajaría.
Do not use the conditional directly after si.
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Imperfect subjunctive FAQ
What does imperfect subjunctive cover?
Build the common -ra imperfect subjunctive from the ellos preterite. This preserves irregular preterite stems and provides the form needed for basic hypothetical conditions and past reported influence.
What is the first rule to remember?
Take the third-person plural preterite and remove -ron to form the base.
What is another important B1 pattern?
Add -ra, -ras, -ra, -ramos, -rais, and -ran; the vowel before -ramos carries an accent.
How can I practise Spanish imperfect subjunctive?
Complete the focused round, review each correction, and repeat the lesson when its skills become due again.