Question about doubt with imperfect subjunctive

Question

So I just use the language without thinking about it or really having read much about it, (a handful of books maybe, unless you mean literature, more of that) and I got most of it by TV etc...

But I took a test today, (teacher gave me a test to see how good I was, think he wants me to exit test the class) and started thinking then noticed this in the reference.

imperfect subjunctive

Uses

The Independent Clause is in the Past

The Independent Clause Refers to a Previous Occurrence This is used to express current emotions, doubts, etc. about something that happened in the past.

To Indicate Unlikely Events

If Clauses

Now I never really noticed how I used it, just that I did. So it's mainly for unlikely events?

This site says: We use the Imperfect Subjunctive when referring to events or ideas that did not, cannot and will not happen. That's completely wrong isn't it? I mean it's just wrong information right? I usually use it refer to the past to something that actually DID happen. Right? This site is just totally wrong isn't it?

Answer 1

Jeezle there are quite a few places where the imperfect subjunctive is used. Here are just a few. To go through them all you really will need a grammar book. I know you'll probably hate this answer, but here are 6 grammatical categories where the imperfect subjunctive is used.

1. "If Clauses", or conditional clauses.

If I had the money, I would buy the bike. = Si tuviera dinero, compraría la bici.

If I were you, I would leave. = Si yo fuera tú, saldría.

If I had known, I would have left. = Si hubiera sabido, me habría ido.

2. To express couresy with poder, querer or deber:

Quisiera pedirte un favor.

3. Expressions meaning "perhaps" referring to the past:

Quizás se fuera. = Maybe he left.

4. Expressions like "as if" take the subjunctive:

Comió como si estuviera muriendo de inanición. = He ate as if he were starving.

5. Adjectival clauses, in the past, where doubt is expressed:

Buscabamos una criada que hablara español. = We were looking for a servant who might speak Spanish.

6. Where the independent clause is one of influence, doubt, denial, emotion, or an impersonal expression and is in the past, the dependent clause will take the imperfect subjunctive:

Era una lástima que se hubiera perdido. = It was a shame that they were lost.

How about this, look at utilzara: En otoño solíamos caminar por los senderos y caminos para recoger moras para que mi abuela los utilizara para hacer crumble de manzanas y moras. - jeezzle, Sep 17, 2011

That's right. Actually "para que" is a phrase which also generally takes the subjunctive. "So that she might use them to make..." - Jeremias, Sep 17, 2011

I use it like that, to mean it means like "would" and that's how I generally see it, like "le trajara el libro" I brought him the book. So when I saw that "it did not will not and can not happen" I was like, what the heck are they talking about there. - jeezzle, Sep 17, 2011

That site is completely wrong to me, and needs to be corrected or taken down. - jeezzle, Sep 17, 2011

Answer 2

Here's my understand of the imperfect subjunctive, via an example:

Using the trigger of influence,

I want you to do it. (literally: I want that you do it.)

Quiero que lo hagas.

We know how the "you do it" part is hypothetical

No problem, right?

Now put the whole scenario into the past.

I wanted you to do it. (literally: I wanted that you do it.)

Quería que lo hicieras.

The "you do it part" (even though it's in the past) was hypothetical back then. We are not back then at this point; we are at now. But the trigger of influence is the same, and it was hypothetical, so it's subjunctive.

To be consistent, it's all in the past imperfect, including the subjunctive part.

It made sense to me.

But it's not usually hypthectical or it doesnt HAVE to be I don't usually use it taht way thoguht I do . (SP lol) - jeezzle, Sep 17, 2011

Answer 3

If the Present Subjunctive refers to things which MAY still happen, however unlikely... wouldn't the Imperfect Subjunctive refer to things which will never happen? Because of they did happen, wouldn't you use the Imperfect Indicative?

I don't know much about the Subjunctive yet... just thinking out loud...