The imperfecto de subjuntivo (-ra) is one of two equivalent forms of the imperfect subjunctive (along with the -se form). The -ra form is more common in everyday speech and modern writing, particularly in Latin America. Both forms are fully interchangeable in meaning. It is used for:
- Hypothetical situations in the past
- Polite requests
- Wishes about past situations
- After "si" (if) clauses
- Reported speech in the past
- Contrary-to-fact statements
Form it from the ellos preterite: remove -ron, then add the endings. Hablaron → hablara; tuvieron → tuviera.
Regular Conjugations
| Pronoun | -AR | -ER/-IR |
|---|---|---|
| yo | -ara | -iera |
| tú | -aras | -ieras |
| él/ella/ud. | -ara | -iera |
| nosotros | -áramos | -iéramos |
| vosotros | -arais | -ierais |
| ellos/uds. | -aran | -ieran |
The -ar endings all start from -ara, and nosotros takes an accent.
Regular -AR verb: hablar in Imperfecto de Subjuntivo (-ra)
-er and -ir verbs start from -iera.
Regular -ER/-IR verb: comer in Imperfecto de Subjuntivo (-ra)
Common Irregular Verbs
Each of these builds on its preterite stem: fue- from fui, estuvie- from estuve.
| Pronoun | ser/ir | estar | haber | hacer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| yo | fuera | estuviera | hubiera | hiciera |
| tú | fueras | estuvieras | hubieras | hicieras |
| él/ella/ud. | fuera | estuviera | hubiera | hiciera |
| nosotros | fuéramos | estuviéramos | hubiéramos | hiciéramos |
| vosotros | fuerais | estuvierais | hubierais | hicierais |
| ellos/uds. | fueran | estuvieran | hubieran | hicieran |
Regional Usage
The -ra form is more prevalent in:
- Everyday speech
- Modern writing
- Latin American Spanish
- Casual conversation
- Media and journalism