In Spanish, the imperfect subjunctive is used with the following considerations:

1. When the verb of the main clause is in preterit or conditional and the subjunctive action takes place at the same time or after the action of the main clause

• Sería más útil si trabajaran en equipo (It would be more useful if they worked as a team)
• Ella no confirmó que él fuera a venir a la reunión (She didn’t confirm he would come to the meeting)
• La mamá esperaba que su hijo estudiara más (The mother hoped her son would study more)
• La policía exigió a los ciudadanos que tuvieran más precaución (The police demanded their citizens to be more cautious)
• El abogado le dijo a ella que dijera toda la verdad (The attorney told her to say all the truth)

2. To express uncertainty in the past

• Ellos no creían que Pedro triunfara en el exterior (They didn’t believe Peter would succeed abroad)
• Dudaban de que el profesor fuera demasiado estricto (They doubted that the teacher was too strict)

3. To point out something doesn’t exist or there is no total certainty of its existence

• Él tenía la esperanza de que lo ayudaran pronto (He had hope they would help him soon)
• ¿Ellos conocían a alguna persona que no tuviera muchos compromisos? (Did they know anyone with not so many assignments?)
• No estaba muy seguro de que funcionara como ellos esperaban (I wasn’t too sure that it was going to work as they expected)

4. To express dependency among adverb clauses

• El niño dependía del apoyo que su madre le diera (The kid was depending on the support his mother would give him)
• Él cantó con el alma para que ella se sintiera feliz (He sang from the bottom of his heart to make her feel happy)
• Una buena planificación era clave para que el proyecto funcionara (A good planning was key for the project to work)

5. When the main clause is in present, but the subordinated clause happened before, and it’s not related to the present.

• Me place mucho de que tuvieras todo listo (I’m glad to know you had everything ready)
• Ella se siente muy bien de que la ayudaran (She feels very well for being helped)

6. To express courtesy.

• Quisiera venir más temprano para ayudarte (I’d like to come earlier to help you)
• ¿Quisieras hablar más despacio por favor? (Would you please talk more slowly?)
• Voy a entrar si se me permitiese (I’m going to enter if I’d be allowed)

7. In conditional sentences with “if”

• Si no lloviera todos los días, haría más ejercicio en el parque (If it didn’t rain every day, I’d do more exercise in the park)
• Tendría más felicidad si ayudara a más personas (I’d be happier if I helped more people)

The imperfect subjunctive conjugation of model regular verbs (ar, er, ir) is:

Some irregular verbs have the following changes when conjugated in the imperfect subjunctive:

o changes to u as in poder.

e changes to i as in sentir.