Module 15: The Imperfect Subjunctive and Conditional Tense

In this module, we will focus on two important verb tenses: the Imperfect Subjunctive and the Conditional Tense. These tenses are used to talk about hypothetical situations, polite requests, and actions that were not completed in the past or actions dependent on other actions. Mastering these tenses will significantly enhance your ability to communicate nuances and politeness in Spanish.

Lesson 1: The Imperfect Subjunctive

Forming the Imperfect Subjunctive:

The Imperfect Subjunctive is often used after verbs or expressions that trigger the subjunctive, but it refers to actions in the past. To form it, take the third person plural (ellos/ellas) form of the preterite tense, remove the “-ron” ending, and add the appropriate endings.

Example:

hablar (to speak) → hablaron (preterite) → hablara, hablaras, hablara, habláramos, hablaran

-ER and -IR verbs:

comer (to eat) → comieron (preterite) → comiera, comieras, comiera, comiéramos, comieran
vivir (to live) → vivieron (preterite) → viviera, vivieras, viviera, viviéramos, vivieran

Example sentences:

Si yo hablara español, sería más fácil. – If I spoke Spanish, it would be easier.
Era importante que comieras antes de salir. – It was important that you ate before leaving.

Lesson 2: The Imperfect Subjunctive with Noun Clauses

Using the Imperfect Subjunctive:

The Imperfect Subjunctive is used when the main verb is in the past, and the action in the dependent clause is uncertain or dependent on a condition.

Example sentences:

Esperaba que tú me dijeras la verdad. – I hoped that you would tell me the truth.
Dudaba que ellos llegaran a tiempo. – I doubted that they would arrive on time.

Common Verbs and Expressions that Trigger the Imperfect Subjunctive:

esperar que – to hope that
dudar que – to doubt that
temer que – to fear that
desear que – to wish that
preferir que – to prefer that

Example sentences:

Deseaba que vinieras a la fiesta. – I wished that you would come to the party.
Prefería que él me llamara. – I preferred that he call me.

Lesson 3: The Conditional Tense

Forming the Conditional Tense:

To form the Conditional Tense, take the infinitive form of the verb and add the following endings:

ía, ías, ía, íamos, ían

Example with regular verbs:

hablar → hablaría, hablarías, hablaría, hablaríamos, hablarían
comer → comería, comerías, comería, comeríamos, comerían
vivir → viviría, vivirías, viviría, viviríamos, vivirían

Example sentences:

Me gustaría ir al cine. – I would like to go to the movies.
Comería más, pero estoy lleno. – I would eat more, but I’m full.
Viviríamos en la playa si tuviéramos dinero. – We would live on the beach if we had money.

Lesson 4: Using the Conditional Tense in Hypothetical Situations

Hypothetical Situations:

The conditional is often used to express situations that depend on a condition being met, often used with si (if) clauses.

Si + imperfect subjunctive, conditional tense
Example: Si tuviera dinero, viajaría por el mundo. – If I had money, I would travel the world.

Polite Requests:

The conditional tense is used for polite requests or offers. In English, this is equivalent to using “would” or “could.”

¿Podrías ayudarme con esto? – Could you help me with this?
Me gustaría saber más sobre eso. – I would like to know more about that.

Lesson 5: The Conditional Perfect

Forming the Conditional Perfect:

The Conditional Perfect is formed by combining the conditional of haber (the auxiliary verb) with the past participle of the main verb:

habría, habrías, habría, habríamos, habrían + past participle

Example:

habría hablado – I would have spoken
habrías comido – you would have eaten
habríamos vivido – we would have lived

Example sentences:

Si hubiera sabido, habría ido contigo. – If I had known, I would have gone with you.
Ella habría estudiado si hubiera tenido tiempo. – She would have studied if she had had time.

Lesson 6: Using Both the Imperfect Subjunctive and the Conditional

Hypothetical Situations in the Past:

Examples with si clauses:

Si yo fuera rico, habría comprado una casa grande. (If I were rich, I would have bought a big house.)

Si hubiera tenido más tiempo, habría aprendido a tocar la guitarra. (If I had had more time, I would have learned to play the guitar.)

Si ellos hubieran estudiado más, habrían pasado el examen fácilmente. (If they had studied more, they would have passed the exam easily.)

Si hubiéramos sabido del evento, habríamos asistido juntos. (If we had known about the event, we would have attended together.)

Si tú me hubieras avisado antes, habría llegado a tiempo. (If you had informed me earlier, I would have arrived on time.)

Si ella hubiera trabajado en ese proyecto, habrían terminado más rápido. (If she had worked on that project, they would have finished faster.)

Polite Requests and Offers:

Me encantaría si pudieras ayudarme. (I would love it if you could help me.)

Te lo habría dicho si me hubieras preguntado. (I would have told you if you had asked me.)

End of Module 15: Review

By the end of this module, you will have a solid understanding of the Imperfect Subjunctive and the Conditional Tense in Spanish. You will be able to express hypothetical situations, talk about past events that didn’t happen, make polite requests, and discuss possibilities in a more sophisticated way.