Imperfect Subjunctive Flashcards
He insisted that I finish straight away.
Él insistió en que yo terminara enseguida.
(the imperfect subjunctive is used with the past tense or conditional)
She forbade us drinking coffee.
Ella prohibió que nosotros bebiéramos café.
prohibir → to forbid
They used to prefer that we didn’t sing.
Ellos preferían que nosotros no cantáramos.
He preferred that you live with a family.
(to a friend)
Él prefirió que tú vivieras con una familia.
His father insisted that Juan study.
Su padre insistió en que Juan estudiara.
He used to advise me that I leave early.
Él me aconsejaría que yo saliera temprano.
The professor used to not want us to translate the poetry.
El profesor no quería que nosotros tradujéramos la poesía.
She wrote them that they return right away.
Ella les escribió que volvieran enseguida.
The professor demanded that everyone go to the reunion.
El profesor exigió que todos fueran a la reunión.
He used to insist that you speak in Spanish.
(to a friend)
Él insistiría en que tú le hablaras en español.
He used to insist on that we learn Spanish.
Insistió en que aprendiéramos español.
insistir en que → to insist on that
I preferred that they bought it.
Preferí que lo Uds. lo compraran.
They ordered that the waiter serve the food.
Mandaron que el camarero sirviera la comida.
They used to want that he ate more.
Querían que él comiera más.
She used to be afraid that you didn’t know it.
Ella tendría miedo de que Ud. no lo supiera.
tener miedo de que → to be afraid that
He used to advise you not to leave.
(to a friend)
Él te aconsejaría que no salieras.
It used to be necessary (exact) that we live in this neighbourhood.
Era preciso que nosotros viviéramos en este barrio.
ser preciso que → be necessary that
(the imperfect subjunctive is used after impersonal expressions when the main verb is in the imperfect, preterite, or conditional)
It used to be best that he knew nothing of the kind.
Sería mejor que él no supiera nada de eso.
nada de eso → nothing of the kind
It used to be doubtful that he pay the bill.
Era dudoso que él pagara la cuenta.
It was necessary that I didn’t say anything.
Fue necesario que yo no dijera nada.
It used to be impossible that she speak to you in dialect.
(to a friend)
Era imposible que ella te hablara en dialecto.
It used to be advisable that you learn the language.
(to a friend)
Sería aconsejable que tú aprendieras el idioma.
ser aconsejable que → to be advisable that
She used to be looking for a secretary that speaks Spanish.
Ella buscaba una secretaria que hablara español.
(the imperfect subjunctive is used in defining relative clauses (they give essential information about someone or something in order to understand what or who is being referred to) modifying an indefinite antecendent (singular pronouns) when the verb is in the imperfect, preterite, or conditional)
He used to have a secretary who spoke Spanish.
Él tenía una secretaria que hablaba español.
I used to want to read a book that deals with the war.
Yo quería leer un libro que tratara de la guerra.
tratar de → to deal with; to be about
I read a book that was extremely interesting.
Yo leí un libro que era sumamente interesante.
We were needing a house that was close to the city.
Necesitábamos una casa que estuviera cerca de la ciudad.
I saw the paintings that were removed from the museum.
Yo miré los cuadros que sacaron del museo.
