Spanish Preterite, Imperfect, and Subjunctive Tenses: Key Rules and Conjugations

What is the preterite tense used for?

Completed action (AYER / ANOCHE / UNA VEZ / EL AÑO PASADO)

What is the imperfect tense used for?

Habitual/background past (SIEMPRE / CADA DÍA / TODOS LOS VERANOS / ERA)

How is the imperfect subjunctive formed?

Past + que + different subject (QUERÍA QUE / DIJO QUE / ESPERABA QUE / RECOMENDABA QUE → -RA)

When do you use the infinitive form?

Same subject (YO QUERÍA IR → SAME SUBJECT = INFINITIVE)

What triggers the present subjunctive?

Present trigger + que (QUIERO QUE → PRESENT SUBJUNCTIVE)

How do you form the imperfect subjunctive?

ELLOS PRETERITE → DROP -RON → ADD -RA ENDING

What are the endings for the imperfect subjunctive?

RA, RAS, RA, RAMOS, RAIS, RAN

How do you conjugate 'nosotros' in the imperfect subjunctive?

-RA → -RAMOS + ACCENT (e.g. estudiáramos)

Does 'que' alone indicate the imperfect subjunctive?

No, QUE alone does NOT mean imperfect subjunctive.

What is the difference in triggers for present vs past subjunctive?

QUIERO QUE → estudie / QUERÍA QUE → estudiara

How do you conjugate 'tener' in the imperfect subjunctive?

tuvieron → tuvie- → tuviera

How do you conjugate 'venir' in the imperfect subjunctive?

vinieron → vinie- → viniera

How do you conjugate 'poder' in the imperfect subjunctive?

pudieron → pudie- → pudiera

How do you conjugate 'hacer' in the imperfect subjunctive?

hicieron → hicie- → hiciera

How do you conjugate 'poner' in the imperfect subjunctive?

pusieron → pusie- → pusiera

How do you conjugate 'decir' in the imperfect subjunctive?

dijeron → dije- → dijera

How do you conjugate 'ir/ser' in the imperfect subjunctive?

fueron → fue- → fuera

How do you conjugate 'estar' in the imperfect subjunctive?

estuvieron → estuvie- → estuviera