Imperfect subjunctive: irregular verbs (fuera, tuviera)

Finding the Irregular Stem

The imperfect subjunctive has several irregular verbs, but they all follow a predictable pattern. To find the irregular stem, take the third-person plural (ellos/ellas) form of the preterite tense (pretérito indefinido) and drop the -ron ending.

For example, hacer (to do/make) becomes hicieron in the preterite. Drop the -ron to get the stem hicie-, and then add the standard imperfect subjunctive endings (-ra, -ras, -ra, -ramos, -rais, -ran).

More Common Irregulars: Poner, Ir/Ser, and Poder

This same rule applies to other highly irregular verbs. Note that ser (to be) and ir (to go) share the exact same forms in this tense (fuera), just as they do in the preterite.

Just like with regular verbs, the nosotros form always requires a written accent on the vowel immediately before the ending (e.g., fuéramos, pudiéramos).

Saber and Decir

Finally, apply the rule to saber (to know) and decir (to say/tell).

Notice in the first example below how the nosotros form takes the written accent: supiéramos.