Question 1

Why is terminaran in the imperfect subjunctive instead of a normal past tense like terminaron?

Accepted Answer

The phrase una lástima que expresses a judgment or emotion. Whenever the main clause expresses a past emotion, doubt, or judgment (here, fue una lástima), the verb that follows in the dependent clause must be in the imperfect subjunctive.

Question 2

Why use the preterite fue instead of the imperfect era for "it was a pity"?

Accepted Answer

Both are actually correct here, but they give a slightly different feel. Using fue frames the pity as a single, completed reaction, like how the speaker felt at the exact moment they heard the tour was canceled. Using era would describe an ongoing, background feeling of pity during that time.

Question 3

Could I say terminasen instead of terminaran?

Accepted Answer

Yes, you can. The imperfect subjunctive has two sets of endings: -ra and -se. They are completely interchangeable in meaning, but in Latin America, the -ra endings like terminaran are used almost exclusively in everyday speech. The -se endings sound much more literary or formal.

Question 4

Can I use gira for any kind of tour, like a guided tour of a museum?

Accepted Answer

Not quite. A gira is generally an organized trip with multiple stops, like a band's concert tour, a politician's campaign tour, or a sports team traveling to play away games. If you mean a guided tourist tour of a city or museum, you would typically use recorrido, visita guiada, or the borrowed English word tour.

Fue una lástima que no terminaran la gira.

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