Present or imperfect subjunctive?

Question

Hmm i was wondering, : i hope it snows in panama tommorow

Ojala que nevara en panamá mañana....(imperfect subjunctive?)

espero que nieve en panamá mañana (present subjunctive?)

Which is the correct tense to use? or could both be used?

Answer 1

Which is the correct tense to use? or could both be used?

The "correct"??? What makes you think that only one of them can be correct? Both are correct! They just mean different things. Languages often offer different choices to express things. It is not like maths, where the answer is either correct or wrong.

"Nevara" -> the snow is just in your imagination; it doesn't sound like you think it'll happen

"Nieve" -> the snow is a possibility that you hope it'll become true

• "is not like math" - English does not use "las matemáticas" :) - pesta Jan 29, 2011
• Careful with those statements, because in the UK is "maths" (I've checked even in the dictionary), and I think they speak English too. - lazarus1907 Jan 29, 2011
• You're right. I don't know UK English well enough to know these differences. Thanks! - pesta Jan 29, 2011
• I am pretty sure that Laz is correct on this one. I think that in the UK and in countries with a heavy UK influence like India, etc it is more commonly said as "maths." However in the U.S. we tend to use the clipped form "math." - Izanoni1 Jan 29, 2011
• That being said, the clipped form "math" and "maths" are both just abbreviations of the longer "mathematics." - Izanoni1 Jan 29, 2011
View 3 more commments >>

Answer 2

I don't think imperfect subjunctive (nevara) is right

may be you can say "vaya a nevar"...or ... "nevare" (future subjunctive).. not sure...

• Nevare, although correct, is seldom used. - gone Jan 29, 2011

Answer 3

Hmm i was wondering, : i hope it snows in panama tommorow Ojala que nevara en panamá mañana....(imperfect subjunctive?) espero que nieve en panamá mañana (present subjunctive?) Which is the correct tense to use? or could both be used?

May I just correct some of your spelling. Ojalá is used fairly frequently, so if you are going to use it, you need that accent mark! If you are saying "will snow" (in your first sentence) again, you need that helpful accent nevará.

And I believe (someone will correct me if I am wrong) that in your last sentence the word should be nieves, not nieve. Nieve means snow and the word I think appropriate is snows!

• Nancy .. Ojalá always requires the subjunctive. Ojalá nevara o nieve en Panamá are both correct choices. Nieve means snow and the conjugation of to snow in the present subjunctive - gone Jan 29, 2011
• One last thing, I think you have say el Panamá! - NancyGrace Jan 29, 2011
• so is nieves incorrect? - NancyGrace Jan 29, 2011
• Yes, because to snow can never be done by a "you". It's a natural phenomenon always described in the 3rd person singular. - gone Jan 29, 2011

Answer 4

Surely outlandish suggestions are in the imperfect subjunctive and that your first suggestion is right (see lesson 3.11 for more information) Ojalá que nevara... (without tilde on nevara)

Answer 5

Ojalá que nieve o nevara están correctas las dos, pero una es más denota menos probabilidad de ocurrir que la otra (nevara es menos probable que nieve)

Answer 6

As Lazarus said, both forms are correct but the nuance requires different conjugations of the first verb.

Ojalá/espero que nieve en Panamá mañana.

Quisiera que nevara o nevase en Panamá mañana.

...................................................................................................

"Ojalá que lleva café en el campo" JLG wants it to rain coffee in the country now.

"Quisiera que sacaras o sacases a todos los niños a cantar en el campo" I would like it if you were to take all the kids to sing in the country.

• llueva - gone Jan 29, 2011

Answer 7

Thanks to everybody for the replies,

so i conclude then that by using the imperfect subjunctive i am sort of saying that i hope it will snow in Panamá tommorow but really think it will be unlikely, and that by using the present subjunctive i am hoping it will snow and that there is a good chance that it might?

The imperfect subjunctive is therefore used for wishes that are unlikely to become true?