The Imperfect or Past Subjunctive in Spanish

[@BobMarley-bp6sh]

I have always been afraid of the imperfect subjunctive. I knew it was there like a coiled up snake but I could never quite figure out what to do with it or how to practice it. You just made it easy for me to at least dance with the cobra. Wow! The same rules more or less apply from present to past! This is obvious to you I know but to someone learning and recoiling in fear of being bitten it is not. Thank you Prof Jason.

[@6eloved]

I'm a third year college student in my last semester of Spanish, and you actually make me WANT to learn this stuff. I wish my Spanish professor were this brilliant, thank you for making your videos.

[@ethanbaldinger8358]

Thank you very much! The whiteboard work is very helpful, and converting the examples from the present to the past helps simplify what's going on with the imperfect subjunctive. (Namely, the same things that are going on with the present subjunctive, but just in the past!) I really appreciate how thorough and detailed and long your lessons are. They help me really get the grammatical structure being studied, and the myriad examples and lucid explanations are very valuable. Thanks again!

[@chithraprakash8392]

Professor Jason, thanks for spending your time to help us. You are the best. You explain everything very clearly. Your videos are very good.

[@Professorjason]

You're sweet to say that. Muchas gracias!

[@sherrybielma1934]

I love it that you self depreciate your spelling in three languages! The irony is not lost on me! I appreciate your help!

[@ChemistryFCP]

Es curioso cómo cuando alguien habla su lengua nativa, no se da cuenta de este tipo de curiosidades. A veces solo hablas y escribes tu idioma sin tomar en cuenta reglas que en otros lugares deben aprender. Lo mismo que usted enseña se nos enseña a nosotros del inglés. Nos dan reglas que posiblemente los que hablan el idioma como lengua materna, ni siquiera tienen en cuenta. Éso es muy emocionante, me emociona de las lenguas. Sus videos son muy buenos professor Jason. Me sirven para practicar mi inglés. Un saludo!

[@pheeel17]

es por eso, creo que profesores que son nativos del idioma son sobreestimados. Ingles es mi lengua materna, y puedo ensenar ingles en cualquier pais del mundo. ensene en corea del sur unos anos, y todas las escuelas quieren profesores que son nativos de ingles, pero la verdad es que yo creo que la gente que tuvo que aprender ingles entienden y explican los reglas de la grammatica mejor que nosotros. es lo mismo con todos idiomas. En mi experencia, los latinos no pueden explicar su grammatica bien. Yo nosotros no podemos explicar las reglas de nuestra grammatica bien, porque nunca tuvimos que aprenderlo jaja

[@daydreamsinmusic3050]

He visto este video muchas veces, pero aún así me gusta volver a verlo de vez en cuando. Es divertido verlos de nuevo y descubrir cómo mi comprensión ha mejorado con el tiempo. ¡Gracias por tantas grandes lecciones!

[@tammietucker8847]

I love your teachings and I am grateful for the examples that you use to help show the comcepts!! Muchas gracias and I hope to see many more of your videos.!!!

[@glindaw2618]

Your videos are so clear and helpful. Thank you for taking your time to produce them, they are a great supplement to Spanish class!

[@scobie0]

Excellent lesson, Prof J, my second shot at it and much improvement on my part. I do appreciate how lucid are your explanations. Many thanks.

[@1962Dove]

Tus videos son excelentes. Muy explicativos, claros y a un buen ritmo. Muchísimas gracias por dedicarte a enseñar esta lengua. Estoy segura que ayudas a muchas personas con tus videos. Estás haciendo un bonito trabajo. Lo que más me gusta es la facilidad con que cambiar de un lenguaje a otro y los dos con acento nativo. Me gustaría tener la misma habilidad cuando tengo que hablar inglés y me sale todo españolado.

[@katherineprewitt5303]

Thank you Jason - so bright and so clear!

[@Professorjason]

@hugstablebear bear, good question. Insistir really only would trigger the subjunctive when it is used in the sense of insisting that someone else DO something, trying to influence their behavior. So there could be lots of situations in which insistir would not be subjunctive. If I say: I insisted that they knew the address, I am asserting what to me is a fact (indicative), etc... Why insistir EN? Certain verbs are (almost) always followed by certain prepositions: insistir en, ayudar a, etc.

[@justsimplymei]

i love how you teach with english and spanish. i have a spanish final for a course at ucsd tmrw, and this helps tremendously! far more than my spanish classes, in fact.

[@TheCorala]

Prof... you're the best... and it is soo apparent that you try your best for us... well, you're doing a great job. Feliz Navidad y Dios le bendiga del Caribe!!

[@Professorjason]

Muchas gracias! ;-)

[@jamescain3139]

Excellent easy to follow structures, and straight to the point

[@Ventanasmexico]

These are incredibly well done! You have a great teacher's persona. Thank you so much!

[@funkyfeetgetsdown]

Gracias senor! This was so much more clear and understandable than my Professor's explanation of it. I feel alot more confident about the test i'm about to take now. Thanks a million!

[@pamelaschwartz473]

thank you. i have been struggling with the subjunctijve (both present and past) for some time. your examples and explanations are extremely helpful. muchas gracias

[@Professorjason]

@lawanews, por supuesto! dónde enseñas?

[@f.iona456]

Really helping me before my Spanish final! Your efforts are appreciated. :)

[@Clarkfamilyorchards]

Muy bien hecho Profesor Jason!!! Muchas gracias, este video me ayudó mucho recordar las cosas de mis años en el bachillerato!

[@boobtube514]

Thanks! I'm just learning the imperfect and pluperfect subjunctive. This is helpful to have a clearer understanding, but I did question what other tenses can trigger the imperfect subjunctive. I'll check out your other videos.

[@donotpokethefro]

You are saving my ass so much right now. I have my last spanish test ever before I graduate college tomorrow and this is unbelievably helpful. You are amazing.

[@cosmetica529]

Glad to see another lesson - I missed them! I love these longer tutorials - they are so thorough :) I am still at the level where I have to mentally go to the preterite, then add the appropriate endings. Does it become natural over time, i.e., any tips for speeding up the process? How did it become "second nature" for you?

[@rebeccapenso1]

Is there a way to get the script of your presentations. They are very good but I need written directions to refer to quickly. It takes me a long time to memorize them.

[@Professorjason]

@ssmith1381 You're correct there are somre rogue Is. The stems are OK, endings should just be -on. Thanks for the correction!

[@bosteye]

Thank you, Professor Jason. This is a helpful lesson. I noticed a small typo. So even though you say that the 3rd to last syllable is stressed in the nosotros form, the accent is shown on the 2nd to last syllable on "hablaramos".

[@kkay5510]

At 2:24, should the accent for hablaramos be over the second "a" and not the third?

[@Professorjason]

@mispanish Claro que te doy esa autorización! Crea todos los enlaces que quieras. Gracias por el comentario!

[@briannafec]

Well this was more helpful than 5 semesters of college spanish, thanks!!

[@lucystevens1588]

these videos are very helpful and clear. thank you. this is a tricky area in Spanish😀

[@tammietucker8847]

On the quiz, I did well except for the very 1st verb (quiere) I had changed to quisiera. Definitely need to practice more but love your teachings very much!!

[@okataka12]

My spanish 4 AP test is in two days and this was SOOO helpful!:) thank you soo much:)

[@NiGhTpRoWlEr1011]

at 19:09 on example number 2, why wouldn't it be pidieran? Preterite ellos form is pidieron, minus the -on, add -an, pidieran. Or am I wrong?

[@normax1812]

Prof,you make it easy to understand. Thank you.

[@trillion625]

when would you use the preterite and imperfect?

[@emilykuilman7662]

You make it seem so easy. I have a test on tuesday. This is helping a lot!

[@gualbertolopez642]

hi are you still learning Spanish I would love to improve my english I can help you whit english and you help me whit english if you are interested.

[@Gregk123]

MY APOLOGIES! Dear Professor Jason, first, thank you so much for the absolutely EXCELLENT SPANISH LESSONS you have so very painstakingly and generously produced and uploaded on KZbin! Unfortunately I must remove this video lesson - one of 10 videos in the series - from my playlist because the noisy introductory music wakes me from my sound slumber. Please note that I listen to your excellent series of intermediate- and advanced-level Spanish videos before falling asleep every night. Although I don't really believe in "sleep learning," I often leave the videos on whenever I go back to bed. Meanwhile, some of the other lessons that begin with much softer music do not disturb my sleep at all. Again, thank you so much for your extreme generosity.

[@claireprice1623]

This was very helpful thanks

[@Professorjason]

You're welcome! Thanks for your recent comments!

[@hugstablebear]

@NiGhTpRoWlEr1011 The verb 'pedir' is in the main clause and so not subjunctive. Also it is in the imperfect tense - 'pedían' - not the preterite - 'pedieron'. The students were asking that the teacher might explain the grammar. I'm a bit shaky on what the exact English translation should be but I hope that helps.

[@LauraGayusi]

I have a question , is there 2 types of past also in the subjunctive mood in Spanish? Professor Jason do you have any video for it? . thanks very much.

[@Built2break]

You helped me soo much! You are wayyyyyyyy bettert than my professor

[@ramonbethencourt4026]

in Spanish exists a word called HIATO, I don´t know if this is called the same in English. For example, in past tenses like yo había, yo tenía, yo comía,( I had, I ate, etc.) when the accent ´ is over the letter i indicates that the stress is over this i. If there is not any ´ over, the pronunciation can vary being incorrect.

[@Professorjason]

Muchas gracias, Ivan! Feliz año nuevo!

[@belabambina]

Professor Jason, you really are a saviour (;

[@leoh.j.wouters8439]

good one - love the exercise - good little test

[@dougedmunds]

Looking at the chart that appears at minute 2, is the accent correctly positioned for the nosotros subjunctive for hablar? You say it as if the accent were on the a before the r not after.

[@BeckyDR]

That's where it's supposed to be (on the a before the r). He put the accent on the wrong syllable in the chart.

[@hugstablebear]

The verb 'insistir' threw me for a loop or rather the word 'en' did. I could not find a satisfactory explanation for 'insister en que' vs 'insistir que', although one place suggested that only the former is correct. Googling around showed this verb often used without the subjunctive, even with two different subjects. Can you shed any light on this puzzling verb? Using an example with the present tense: is the difference like 'he insisted that the government is not corrupt' vs ... may not be ...

[@femmeNikita27]

Interesting. Consultorio gramatical of my Spanish textbook Gente 3 says : cut off - RON from 3 persona del plural del indefinido and "add terminaciones" (-RA, -RAS, -RA, -RAMOS, -RAIS, -RAN) but yes one can also simply do as You say and the end result is the same. And it's probably even easier to remember. So simple yet I doubt I would come up with the same conclusion without watching this video. So thanks! ;-) But yes, the way I described is what grammar books by native speakers provide as a general rule. I wonder why they do so? Maybe due to endings used for -se/-semos forms which don't include this final "r" in the root?

[@kevjackson3501]

Great lesson again, Prof Jason. Thanks. So, I'm assuming that in the imperfect subjunctive/past subjunctive, the first clause always (or almost always) uses the imperfect and NOT the preterite? Is it a rule or does it depend on context?

[@Professorjason]

porque aparente ya dominas esa forma! no... lo que pasa es que no quería complicarlo... talvez haga otra lección sobre eso en el futuro...

[@1will123456789]

I don't know if someone has asked this or not, but for Hablaramos, is the accent supposed to be on the last a or the second to last a?

[@saviourpisani8028]

Thanks prof! Excellent as usual. What do you think f this sentence: Si yo tuviera ma's dinero comprari'a un coche nuevo. Si yo hubiera tenido ma's dinero habri'a comprado un coche nuevo. Thanks.

[@Professorjason]

Those are perfect!

[@asmitaahluwalia1076]

This is really helpful! Do you have any videos on imperfect subjunctive clauses like 'si estuviera.....' ?

[@Guilherme-nv5wq]

That was such a easy class! Actually, it's harder to conjugate the verbs correctly than to convert than haha. Thanks professor!

[@calcoleman2398]

Also good to to tell people that "subjunctive" means just to join underneath... same indo-european too for yoke, yoga, etc.

[@chithraprakash8392]

I like that you are using the whiteboard now.

[@norahmcintirel.ac.8094]

This was very helpful. Thank you!

[@Professorjason]

Gracias, amiga! ;-) It does become natural overtime... more intuitive, but you have to practice the tense a lot!

[@ronmcdonald2842]

FYI, Two typos on the most helpful "Irregular Verb" chart. Notice spelling of saber in the 3rd person preterito, and the consequential verb created in the "Yo-form" subjunctive. Anyway, your instruction is priceless; a big help!

[@AJr01Music]

If I pass my Spanish exam tomorrow, I will skip my classes from now on and follow your classes

[@yeshemebet]

I enjoy his videos. I wonder why he stopped making them.

[@michaelacosta9376]

hi, i enjoy ur videos. thanks for posting them. i wish u were my teacher. will u put up more videos on the last 7 spanish tenses??

[@spacebrain1991]

this is a tricky subject but you helped a lot! thanks!

[@samahsamiee9659]

Thanks a lot. You are an amazing professor. Thanks again.

[@Jackdamb]

Thank you so much professor ..you are great.

[@jevonminto7958]

muy perfecto! Gracias maestro ! !! 👍👍👍👍

[@aroucaman100]

a real good job sir!!

[@christinar3013]

If a topic is to state what your parents and teachers insisted/demanded/ordered/wanted you to do in the past subjunctive in spanish, how can you begin to answer what your parents demanded you do in the past subjunctive? (for example, my dad insisted my curfew was 10pm)

[@hamoody3]

Muchas Gracias Senior para la ayudo.

[@MannyMensah94]

Thanks for the video. I need it that and keep up the good work.

[@ramonbethencourt4026]

in slide 2.10 when we can read habláramos the stress is over the syllable ¨bla¨ for this reason its indicated with a ´ over that syllable. All the syllables are ha-bla-ra-mos and the stress is over -bla- it´s always this way

[@boagshoags]

excellent. very clear. thanks for the video!

[@biachiking7043]

Te explicas super bien!!

[@elnegrobravo]

Great video. really good. Thanks

[@sabinegermany2667]

Thank you soooo much! Vielen herzlichen Dank !!! con muchos saludos de Alemania!

[@Professorjason]

Muchas gracias, Sabine! De nada!

[@Professorjason]

@kkay5510 YES, should be habláramos. Thanks

[@rawloverawlight5067]

you are awesome Jason! thank you!!

[@ZAINABMOHAMMED-e1u]

pls my queston s why do u somtyms use the mperfecto or prterte

[@Professorjason]

Hi Zainab, I have a separate video on this topic.

[@noelinnocenti6274]

Excelente!! Y muy claro. Gracias

[@teev7]

Would it be grammatically correct to say, "Tina [quise] que Jaime comprara la leche"? Thanks!

[@matiascamejo6726]

"Tina "quisO" que Jaime comprara la leche"

[@silverkitty2503]

5.20 in european spanish they actually use the past subjunctive with a present tense verb ..in latin america what you say is common though

[@lousinit]

sweet, i have my final in...4 hours and now i understand this!!

[@speedygcse4777]

fantastic structured lesson.. no easier way to start revising than to put one of your videos on. Thank you so much, hopefully it will all come together for my A2 exam in june!

[@woohooitsemily]

this was so helpful! thank you so much!

[@danielplainview4587]

the video starts, i hear the music, i start dancing. every time

[@gos-nl8br]

really great video, thanks

[@chemieprof]

thank you sooooo much!!!!! great help!!!!!

[@90clemson]

great lesson

[@catirerubio]

Adding the English written translation would be an enormous help.

[@laconan]

Wouldn't it have been easier just to say that the past subjunctive usually resembles the future tense ( contestara ---contestara --he will call). Students are ALWAYS looking for connections to make new material more relatable.

[@DuroSamples]

Hey guys conjugate the verb Satisfacer in Plus-Cuanperfecto.. ;) If you guy do it right you get a present... ;)

[@dancesxinxrainx0]

So helpful! Gracias!:D

[@TheMikeyg245]

this was awesome. really helped

[@calcoleman2398]

Great job. Thanks for being cool. It's all Easy Street after Latin....

[@roathripper]

very helpful, thanks

[@andypandywl]

So helpful!

[@ramonbethencourt4026]

yes you´re right sssmith1381, the correct is SUPIERON and SUPIERA. Professor Jason, let´s correct them,ok??

[@NiGhTpRoWlEr1011]

@hugstablebear Yeah that does. Thanks for clarification.