The subjunctive in the past
You already know that main verbs expressing emotion, doubt, or influence trigger the subjunctive in a subordinate clause. When that main verb is in the past tense (preterite or imperfect), the second verb must shift to the imperfect subjunctive.
Let's look at how parents might reflect on raising their children, using different types of past-tense triggers:
Past influence and wishes
Verbs like querer (to want), preferir (to prefer), or pedir (to ask) in the past trigger the imperfect subjunctive when expressing what someone wanted someone else to do.
| I didn't want you to raise them without discipline. | No quería que los criaras sin disciplina. |
| The mother didn't want us to punish them like that. | La madre no quería que los castigáramos así. |
Past emotion
If you were glad, angry, or afraid about something that happened, use a past-tense emotion verb followed by que and the imperfect subjunctive.
| I was glad that she raised the baby well. | Me alegraba de que ella criara bien al bebé. |
| It bothered me that my husband spoiled them and never punished them. | Me molestaba que mi esposo los malcriara y nunca los castigara. |
Past doubt and uncertainty
Expressions of doubt in the past, such as dudar (to doubt) or no creer (to not believe), also require the past subjunctive.
| I doubted that the boy would obey his demanding father. | Dudaba que el niño obedeciera a su padre exigente. |
| We doubted that the punishment was fair. | Dudábamos que el castigo fuera justo. |
Past impersonal expressions
Just like in the present tense, past impersonal expressions that state an opinion or necessity (like era necesario que or era importante que) will trigger the past subjunctive.
| It was necessary that the home not be so demanding. | Era necesario que el hogar no fuera tan exigente. |