CSG178

167

The Subjunctive Mood Past Tenses: The Imperfect and the Pluperfect Subjunctive

Other Uses of the Imperfect Subjimctive

You have learned that the imperfect subjunctive appears mostly in dependent clauses connect-ing thoughts to a past tense or to a conditional expressing conjecture in the main clause. Remember that the English equivalent of the subjunctive in the dependent clause is very often expressed with an infinitive:

No me gustaria que tu fueses al cine    I zuould not łikeyou to go to the movies

eon Carla.    with Carla.

The imperfect subjunctive is also used in some independent clauses to express a wish in the present or to underscore a situation unlikely to happen in the present.

Use the imperfect subjunctive:

•    after que, quien to express a wish in the present.

jQuien supiera la verdad!    Ifonly we knezu the answer! (If only the truth

were known!)

•    after ni que in negative constructions to accentuate an improbable or uncertain situation in the present.

—Llevo estas botas, un abrigo, una    “Iam weańng boots, a coat, a cap, and gloves.”

gorray guantes.

—i Ni que estuviera nevando!    “As ifit were snowing!”

•    after ojala (que) to express a wish in the present.

jOjala ganaras el concurso!    I hope (that) you win the contest!

• in polite requests with deber (should> ought), querer (to wish, to like), and poder (to be obie), the -ra forms of the imperfect subjunctive may be used instead of the conditional.

Quisiera pedirle un favor, seńor.    Sir Iwould like to askyou afavor.

;Pudieran Uds. enviar la medicina    Gould you send the medicine immediately ?

inmediatamente?

Ud. debiera salir del edificio ahora.    You should (ought to) leave the building now.

ejercicio

jQue amable! En espahol. Usa el imperfecto de subjuntivo de los verbos deber:, gustar y poder para traducir las formas en el condicional.

1.    Gould you (Ud.) open the door, please? _

2.    I would like to come in. _

3.    I should tell you (Ud.) what happened. _

4.    You (Ud.) should close the door now. _

5.    I would not like other people to hear me. _

6.    I should apologize (pedir perdón) for my mistakes. _