Definitive answer imperative past vs conditional for past events

Question

Are they interchangable? Specifically talking about writing stories and stuff, as opposed to oral communication?

dijimos que yo hacerlo Dijimos que ib a hacerlo Dijimos que lo hacería

Answer 1

They are all probably interchangeable as they are all incorrect. Besides which there is NO "imperative past" And the conditional is normally used for probable future events. The only time it is used in a "past sense" is when you say something like.

"Paco dijo que vendría." Paco said that he would come.

I think he has posted a lot of his homework. - rac1, May 8, 2016

Answer 2

We said that I would do it.

As in 'Ideamos una trama y decimos que lo haría'

Its probably not great English though, We thought up a plot, and we said that I would do it, i.e that I would carry it through.

This is all very similar to your question, 'I didn't know what I should do' - rac1, May 8, 2016

Answer 3

I meant imperfect, what about 'we decided that I would do it' ? How would that be translated?

If you would give the English to your sentences, I can fix them for you. As they stand I only have a vague Idea as to what they mean. - Daniela2041, May 8, 2016

Your last sentence: Decidimos que yo lo hiciera. In Spanish that comes sounding like We decided that I should do it. "hiciera is imperfect subjunctive." - Daniela2041, May 8, 2016

Taken another way, I would say "Decidimos que yo lo haría" There are times when to use the subjunctive or not becomes rather difficult even for native speakers. - Daniela2041, May 8, 2016

"We said" would be "dijimos" We decided is "decidimos. - Daniela2041, May 8, 2016

If you are OK with this, give me a vote, and I will respond with one. - Daniela2041, May 8, 2016