Forming the Imperfect Subjunctive
To talk about past wishes, suggestions, or emotions, use the imperfect subjunctive.
To form it:
- Start with the ellos/ellas/ustedes form of the preterite (like repararon or votaron).
- Drop the -ron.
- Add the -ra endings: -ra, -ras, -ra, -ramos, -ran.
| I wanted the mayor to repair the potholes in my street. | Quería que el alcalde reparara los baches en mi calle. |
| I wanted the citizens to vote for the campaign. | Quería que los ciudadanos votaran por la campaña. |
Expressing Past Wishes
Just like the present subjunctive follows present-tense triggers, the imperfect subjunctive follows past-tense triggers (like quería que..., deseaba que..., or era importante que...).
| We wanted him to fund the community campaign. | Queríamos que él financiara la campaña comunitaria. |
| It was important that they repair the pothole that we are looking at. | Era importante que repararan el bache que estamos mirando. |
| I wished that this project would benefit the city. | Deseaba que este proyecto beneficiara a la ciudad. |
The "Nosotros" Accent
The nosotros form always requires a written accent on the vowel immediately before the ending (like the a in -áramos).
| She wanted us to fund the new mural. | Ella quería que financiáramos el nuevo mural. |
"Ojalá" with the Imperfect Subjunctive
When paired with ojalá, the imperfect subjunctive expresses a present or future wish that feels unlikely to happen—similar to "I wish they would..." in English.
| I wish they would paint the mural that we are designing. | Ojalá pintaran el mural que estamos diseñando. |
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