Breakdown of La pieza fue exhibida ayer, pero me gustaría que usted la certificara.
ser
to be
pero
but
usted
you (formal)
que
that / than
me
to me / me (direct object)
gustar
to like
la
it / her (direct object)
ayer
yesterday
la pieza
the part / the piece (component)
exhibir
to exhibit
certificar
to certify
Questions & Answers about La pieza fue exhibida ayer, pero me gustaría que usted la certificara.
Why is the imperfect subjunctive (certificara) used here instead of the present subjunctive (certifique)?
Because the main verb (gustaría) is in the conditional tense. In Spanish, when you express a wish or polite request using the conditional, the rules of tense agreement require the verb in the que clause to be in the imperfect subjunctive.
Could I use the infinitive (certificar) here instead of the que clause?
Not in this sentence, because there is a change of subject. The person wanting the action is 'I' (me gustaría), but the person doing the certifying is 'you' (usted). When the subject changes after verbs of wishing or influence, you must use que plus a conjugated subjunctive verb instead of an infinitive.
Why does exhibida end in -a? Isn't it part of a past tense verb?
It is part of the passive voice (fue exhibida). When you use ser plus a past participle to express that an action was done to a subject, the participle acts like an adjective and must agree in gender and number with that subject (la pieza). This is different from perfect tenses using haber (like ha exhibido), where the participle never changes.
Is it acceptable to use certificase instead of certificara?
Grammatically yes, as both are valid forms of the imperfect subjunctive. However, in Latin America, the -ra endings like certificara are heavily preferred in everyday speech. The -se endings sound distinctly literary or more typical of Spain.
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