DELE B2 Imperfect Subjunctive: Practice Test & Review
The imperfect subjunctive is the gateway to B2 grammar. If B1 taught you to use the present subjunctive for wishes and doubt in the present, B2 asks you to shift the same meanings into the past — and that means mastering the imperfect subjunctive forms.
This page gives you a five-part practice quiz: an evaluation set to see where you stand, three practice sets to drill the forms and uses, and a challenge set to confirm mastery. The grammar review below covers formation from the preterite stem, the -ra and -se forms, and the three main uses tested on the exam.
The imperfect subjunctive is not optional at B2. It appears in every reading passage that involves past reported speech, past emotion, or unreal conditions. Master the forms first, then the triggers. Ready? Start with the evaluation set below.
Grammar Guide
The Rule
The imperfect subjunctive is used when a subjunctive trigger appears in the past. If the main clause verb is in the preterite, imperfect, or conditional, the subordinate verb shifts to the imperfect subjunctive. It is also used in Type 2 and Type 3 si clauses (unreal conditions) and in softened polite requests. There are two interchangeable sets of endings: the -ra forms and the -se forms. Both are correct; the -ra forms are more common in speech, and the -se forms appear more in literature .
Formation
The starting point is the third person plural (ellos/ellas) of the preterite. Remove -ron, and add the imperfect subjunctive endings .
| Step | Example: hablar | Example: tener | Example: ir/ser |
|---|---|---|---|
| Preterite ellos form | hablaron | tuvieron | fueron |
| Remove -ron | habla- | tuvie- | fue- |
| Add -ra endings | hablara, hablara, etc. | tuviera, tuviera, etc. | fuera, fuera, etc. |
| Add -se endings | hablase, hablase, etc. | tuviese, tuviese, etc. | fuese, fuese, etc. |
-ra endings: -ra, -ras, -ra, -́ramos, -rais, -ran
-se endings: -se, -ses, -se, -́semos, -seis, -sen
Note that -er and -ir verbs share the same endings. If the preterite stem is irregular, the imperfect subjunctive keeps that irregularity .
The -ra and -se Forms
Both forms are interchangeable in nearly all contexts. The -ra forms dominate in spoken Spanish and in most DELE materials. The -se forms are more literary but appear on the exam .
| Verb | -ra form (yo) | -se form (yo) |
|---|---|---|
| hablar | hablara | hablase |
| tener | tuviera | tuviese |
| ir/ser | fuera | fuese |
| decir | dijera | dijese |
| poder | pudiera | pudiese |
| saber | supiera | supiese |
Trigger Types
The imperfect subjunctive appears after the same triggers as the present subjunctive, but when the main clause is in the past .
| Trigger Type | Example | Why imperfect subjunctive |
|---|---|---|
| Past wish | Quería que vinieras. | Quería is past; subordinate shifts to imperfect |
| Past doubt | Dudaba que fuera verdad. | Dudaba is past doubt |
| Past emotion | Sentía que no estuvieras aquí. | Sentía is past emotion |
| Past impersonal | Era necesario que lo hicieras. | Era is past impersonal expression |
| Past request | Pidió que llegáramos temprano. | Pidió is past request |
Si Clauses
| Clause Type | Si Clause | Main Clause |
|---|---|---|
| Type 1 (real) | si + present indicative | present, future, or imperative |
| Type 2 (unreal present) | si + imperfect subjunctive | conditional |
| Type 3 (unreal past) | si + imperfect subjunctive (or pluperfect subjunctive) | conditional perfect |
Type 2 example: Si tuviera dinero, viajaría. (If I had money, I would travel.)
Type 3 example: Si hubiera sabido, habría venido. (If I had known, I would have come.)
Fixed Expressions
| Expression | Meaning | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Quisiera… | I would like… | Softened form of quiero; followed by infinitive |
| Pudiera… | Could you…? | Polite request; softened form of puede |
| Ojalá (que) + imperfect subjunctive | I wish… (unreal) | Expresses impossible or improbable wishes in the present |
Common Mistakes
Using present subjunctive after a past trigger.
✗ Quería que vengas.
✓ Quería que vinieras.
The trigger is in the past, so the subordinate verb must shift to the imperfect subjunctive.
Using indicative instead of subjunctive after past doubt.
✗ Dudaba que era verdad.
✓ Dudaba que fuera verdad.
Dudar triggers subjunctive, even in the past.
Forgetting the preterite stem rule.
✗ tener → teniera (wrong stem)
✓ tener → tuvieron → tuvie- → tuviera
Always start from the preterite ellos form .
Using conditional in a si clause.
✗ Si tendría dinero, viajaría.
✓ Si tuviera dinero, viajaría.
The si clause takes the imperfect subjunctive, never the conditional .
Quick Decision Chart
| Ask yourself | Answer | Form |
|---|---|---|
| Is the main clause verb in the past? | Yes | Imperfect subjunctive in the subordinate clause |
| Is the main clause in the conditional? | Yes | Imperfect subjunctive in the subordinate clause |
| Is this a Type 2 si clause? | Yes | si + imperfect subjunctive |
| Is this a Type 3 si clause? | Yes | si + imperfect subjunctive (or pluperfect) |
| Is this a polite request? | Yes | Quisiera / Pudiera + infinitive |
| Is the trigger in the present? | Yes | Use present subjunctive, not imperfect |
Two Sentences That Show the Difference
Quiero que vengas.
I want you to come.
The trigger is present, so the subordinate verb is present subjunctive.
Quería que vinieras.
I wanted you to come.
The trigger is past, so the subordinate verb shifts to the imperfect subjunctive.
Si tengo dinero, viajaré.
If I have money, I will travel.
Type 1 si clause: real condition, present indicative.
Si tuviera dinero, viajaría.
If I had money, I would travel.
Type 2 si clause: unreal condition, imperfect subjunctive + conditional.
