Chapter 5 Grammar 2 Flashcards
definition of the past subjunctive (or imperfect subjunctive)
- the subjunctive mood is used in a subordinate clause to express events that are outside the speaker’s realm of knowledge or experience
- when the timeframe for these events is the present, the present subjunctive is used
- when the timeframe for these events is the past, the past/imperfect subjunctive is used
imperfect subjunctive form
- all past subjunctive forms are based on ellos forms of the preterit
- the third person plural ending -ron is dropped and replaced by the past subjunctive ending -ra
- all nosotros/as forms of the past subjunctive require a written accent mark
hablar
imperfect subjunctive form
to speak ellos form of the preterit: hablaron hablara hablaras hablara habláramos hablarais hablaran
comer
imperfect subjunctive form
to eat ellos form of the preterit: comieron comiera comieras comiera comiéramos comierais comieran
vivir
imperfect subjunctive form
to live ellos form of the preterit: vivieron viviera vivieras viviera viviéramos vivierais vivieran
- irregularities in the ellos forms of the preterit (also appear in the past subjunctive):
- when the stem of an -er or -ir verb ends in a vowel…
- ieron become yeron in the preterit.
- this same change appears in the past subjunctive
leer
imperfect subjunctive form
to read ellos form of the preterit: leyeron leyera leyeras leyera leyéramos leyerais leyeran
- irregularities in the ellos forms of the preterit (also appear in the past subjunctive):
- ir verbs with a stem-change in the preterit…
- e to -i
- o to -u
- have the same stem-change in the past subjunctive
pedir
imperfect subjunctive form
to ask for / to order ellos form of the preterit: pidieron pidiera pidieras pidiera pidiéramos pidierais pidieran
morir
imperfect subjunctive form
to die ellos form of the preterit: murieron muriera murieras muriera muriéramos murierais murieran
verbs with irregular or “strong” stems in the preterit…
…show these same patterns in the past subjunctive
haber
imperfect subjunctive form
to have ellos form of the preterit: hubieron hubiera hubieras hubiéramos hubiera hubierais hubieran
hacer
imperfect subjunctive form
to do/make ellos form of the preterit: hicieron hiciera hicieras hiciera hiciéramos hicierais hicieran
tener
imperfect subjunctive form
to have ellos form of the preterit: tuvieron tuviera tuvieras tuviera tuviéramos tuvierais tuvieran
ser
imperfect subjunctive form
to be ellos form of the preterit: fueron fuera fueras fuera fuéramos fuerais fueran
decir
imperfect subjunctive form
to say / to tell ellos form of the preterit: dijeron dijera dijeras dijera dijéramos dijerais dijeran
como si
- as if, as though
- the past subjunctive is always used after the expression “como si”
ojalá que
- I wish, if only
- the past subjunctive rarely appears in a main clause, except when this begins with ojalá que
a few verbs are used in the past subjunctive in a main clause to make polite requests or statements
- querer
- poder
- deber
querer
imperfect subjunctive form
to want ellos form of the preterit: quisieron quisiera quisieras quisiera quisiéramos quisierais quisieran
poder
imperfect subjunctive form
should / be able to ellos form of the preterit: pudieron pudiera pudieras pudiera pudiéramos pudierais pudieran
deber
imperfect subjunctive form
to owe / should ellos form of the preterit: debieron debiera debieras debiera debiéramos debierais debieran
An “if” clause
- begins with the word “si”
- states a condition
- as a dependent clause, must be paired with an independent or resultant clause to form a complete sentence, regardless of which clause is ordered first
There are three types of situations conveyed by “if” clauses using simple tenses:
- habitual
- probable
- hypothetical (or improbable, contrary to fact)
An “if” clause: To express a habitual condition and result, whether in the present or the past timeframe…
…the indicative (present, preterite, imperfect, conditional, future) is used in both the “if” clause and the resultant clause.
An “if” clause: To express a probable (or possible) condition and result (in other words, a situation that may or can still occur)…
…the indicative is used in both the “if” clause (in the present tense) and the resultant clause (in the present tense, future tense, or command form).
An “if” clause: To express a hypothetical (or improbable) condition and result (i.e., a situation that is contrary to fact or most likely will or would not occur)…
…the past subjunctive is used in the “if” clause and the conditional tense is used in the resultant clause.
dormir
imperfect subjunctive form
to sleep ellos form of the preterit: durmieron durmiera durmieras durmiera durmiéramos durmierais durmieran
ir
imperfect subjunctive form
to go ellos form of the preterit: fueron fuera fueras fuera fuéramos fuerais fueran
estar
imperfect subjunctive form
to be ellos form of the preterit: estuvieron estuviera estuvieras estuviera estuviéramos estuvierais estuvieran
creer
imperfect subjunctive form
to believe ellos form of the preterit: creyeron creyera creyeras creyera creyéramos creyerais creyeran
vestir
imperfect subjunctive form
to wear ellos form of the preterit: vistieron vistiera vistieras vistiera vistiéramos vistierais vistieran
When the timeframe for a main clause that triggers the subjunctive is the present tense, the future tense, or a command…
…the subordinate clause requires the present subjunctive.
When the main clause timeframe is the past tense, whether in the preterit or the imperfect…
…the subordinate clause requires the past subjunctive.
volver
imperfect subjunctive form
to return ellos form of the preterit: volvieron volviera volvieras volviera volviéramos volvierais volvieran
ver
imperfect subjunctive form
to see / to watch ellos form of the preterit: vieron viera vieras viera viéramos vierais vieran
entender
imperfect subjunctive form
to understand ellos form of the preterit: entendieron entendiera entendieras entendiera entendiéramos entendierais entendieran
traer
imperfect subjunctive form
to bring ellos form of the preterit: trajeron trajera trajeras trajera trajéramos trajerais trajeran
An “if” clause in the present tense describes…
…a condition that is possible or probable.
An “if” clause in the present tense requires…
…a result clause in the future tense.
saber
imperfect subjunctive form
to know ellos form of the preterit: supieron supiera supieras supiera supiéramos supierais supieran
escoger
imperfect subjunctive form
to choose ellos form of the preterit: escogieron escogiera escogieras escogiera escogiéramos escogierais escogieran
