We use El Imperfecto Subjuntivo in some subordinate clauses and in particularly polite requests.
Rather unusually, this tense has two conjugation forms. Take a look at estar conjugations in El Imperfecto Subjuntivo:
Conjugation 1 (used widely in speech in Spain, Latin America and South America)
| yo | estuviera |
| tú | estuvieras |
| él / ella / Ud. | estuviera |
| nosotros / nosotras | estuviéramos |
| vosotros / vosotras | estuvierais |
| ellos / ellas / Uds. | estuvieran |
Conjugation 2 (used more in written language and in Spain)
| yo | estuviese |
| tú | estuvieses |
| él / ella / Ud. | estuviese |
| nosotros / nosotras | estuviésemos |
| vosotros /vosotras | estuvieseis |
| ellos / ellas / Uds. | estuviesen |
Read and listen to these examples:
Ojalá yo estuviera en Las Vegas ahora mismo.
I wish I were in Las Vegas right now.
Ojalá yo estuviese en una playa desierta.
I wish I were on a deserted beach.
Sería maravilloso que tú estuvieras de acuerdo en todo.
It would be wonderful if you agreed with everything.
Tal vez tú no estuvieses con tus amigos antes.
Maybe you weren't with your friends before.
Quizás mi novio estuviera enfermo ese día.
Maybe my boyfriend was ill that day.
Quizás ella no estuviese en Madrid en vacaciones.
Maybe she wasn't in Madrid on holiday.
No creo que nosotros estuviéramos enamorados de verdad.
I don't think that we were truly in love.
Ojalá nosotras estuviésemos en Brasil.
I wish we were in Brazil.
Tal vez vosotros estuvierais contentos por vuestro ascenso.
Maybe you were happy about your promotion.
No admitía que vosotras estuvieseis enfadadas con vuestros maridos.
She wouldn't admit that you were angry with your husbands.
Quizás ellos estuvieran satisfechos con el tiempo en verano.
Maybe they were satisfied with the weather in the summer.
Quizás mis amigas estuviesen de crucero por el Mediterráneo.
Maybe my friends were on a cruise in the Mediterranean.
Learn more about these related Spanish grammar topics
Examples and resources
Tal vez vosotros estuvierais contentos por vuestro ascenso.
Maybe you were happy about your promotion.
Quizás ella no estuviese en Madrid en vacaciones.
Maybe she wasn't in Madrid on holiday.
No admitía que vosotras estuvieseis enfadadas con vuestros maridos.
She wouldn't admit that you were angry with your husbands.
Ojalá yo estuviese en una playa desierta.
I wish I were on a deserted beach.
Ojalá yo estuviera en Las Vegas ahora mismo.
I wish I were in Las Vegas right now.
Quizás mi novio estuviera enfermo ese día.
Maybe my boyfriend was ill that day.
No creo que nosotros estuviéramos enamorados de verdad.
I don't think that we were truly in love.
Tal vez tú no estuvieses con tus amigos antes.
Maybe you weren't with your friends before.
Quizás ellos estuvieran satisfechos con el tiempo en verano.
Maybe they were satisfied with the weather in the summer.
Sería maravilloso que tú estuvieras de acuerdo en todo.
It would be wonderful if you agreed with everything.
Ojalá nosotras estuviésemos en Brasil.
I wish we were in Brazil.
Quizás mis amigas estuviesen de crucero por el Mediterráneo.
Maybe my friends were on a cruise in the Mediterranean.
William
Kwiziq community member
8 January 2018
3 replies
Origin of ojala
What is the infinitive of this verb. Ojala means is translated here as "I wish". What is the translation of "He wishes, you wish, we wish and they wish" for this verb
Inma
Kwiziq language super star
8 January 2018
8/01/18
Inma
Kwiziq language super star
8 January 2018
8/01/18
William
Kwiziq community member
8 January 2018
8/01/18