In Spanish, the imperfect subjunctive is used with the following considerations:

1. When the verb of the main clause is in preterit or conditional and the subjunctive action takes place at the same time or after the action of the main clause

• Sería más útil si trabajaran en equipo (It would be more useful if they worked as a team)
• Ella no confirmó que él fuera a venir a la reunión (She didn’t confirm he would come to the meeting)
• La mamá esperaba que su hijo estudiara más (The mother hoped her son would study more)
• La policía exigió a los ciudadanos que tuvieran más precaución (The police demanded their citizens to be more cautious)
• El abogado le dijo a ella que dijera toda la verdad (The attorney told her to say all the truth)

2. To express uncertainty in the past

• Ellos no creían que Pedro triunfara en el exterior (They didn’t believe Peter would succeed abroad)
• Dudaban de que el profesor fuera demasiado estricto (They doubted that the teacher was too strict)

3. To point out something doesn’t exist or there is no total certainty of its existence

• Él tenía la esperanza de que lo ayudaran pronto (He had hope they would help him soon)
• ¿Ellos conocían a alguna persona que no tuviera muchos compromisos? (Did they know anyone with not so many assignments?)
• No estaba muy seguro de que funcionara como ellos esperaban (I wasn’t too sure that it was going to work as they expected)

4. To express dependency among adverb clauses

• El niño dependía del apoyo que su madre le diera (The kid was depending on the support his mother would give him)
• Él cantó con el alma para que ella se sintiera feliz (He sang from the bottom of his heart to make her feel happy)
• Una buena planificación era clave para que el proyecto funcionara (A good planning was key for the project to work)

5. When the main clause is in present, but the subordinated clause happened before, and it’s not related to the present.

• Me place mucho de que tuvieras todo listo (I’m glad to know you had everything ready)
• Ella se siente muy bien de que la ayudaran (She feels very well for being helped)

6. To express courtesy.

• Quisiera venir más temprano para ayudarte (I’d like to come earlier to help you)
• ¿Quisieras hablar más despacio por favor? (Would you please talk more slowly?)
• Voy a entrar si se me permitiese (I’m going to enter if I’d be allowed)

7. In conditional sentences with “if”

• Si no lloviera todos los días, haría más ejercicio en el parque (If it didn’t rain every day, I’d do more exercise in the park)
• Tendría más felicidad si ayudara a más personas (I’d be happier if I helped more people)

The imperfect subjunctive conjugation of model regular verbs (ar, er, ir) is:

Some irregular verbs have the following changes when conjugated in the imperfect subjunctive:

o changes to u as in poder.

e changes to i as in sentir.

The present subjunctive in Spanish

In Spanish, the present subjunctive is used with the following considerations:

1. To express probability, doubt or uncertainty

• Tal vez ella viaje mañana (Perhaps she would travel tomorrow)
• Quizá él beba menos esta vez (Maybe he drinks less this time)
• Dudo que ellos trabajen hasta tarde (I doubt they work until late)

2. To express desires or feelings

• ¡Espero que tengas un excelente día! (I hope you have an excellent day!)
• ¡Ojalá me aumenten el sueldo! (Perhaps I get my salary increased!)
• ¡Que duermas bien! (Have a nice sleep!)

3. In modal sentences with “como”, “de manera que”, “según”, etc.

• ¡Ayuda como quieras! (Help however you like!)
• ¡Escribe según lo que entiendas! (Write according to what you understand!)
• ¡Habla de manera que no ofendas! (Talk as long as you do not offend!)

4. After “cuando”, “tan pronto como”, “antes de que”, “sin que”, “para que”, “aunque”, “a pesar de que”, “por más que”

• Hablaremos cuando vengas (We will talk when you come)
• Puedes jugar tan pronto como termines tus tareas (You can play as soon as you finish your homework)
• ¡Compra la computadora ahora antes de que suba el precio! (Buy the computer now before its price get increased!)
• ¡Dí la verdad sin que te sientas mal! (Say the truth without feeling uncomfortable!)
• Él trabaja mucho para que le paguen más (He works a lot in order to get paid more)
• Aunque te enojes, lo haré (Despite you get angry, I’ll do it)
• El niño viajará el año entrante a pesar de que no tenga dinero (The kid will travel next year despite he has no money)
• Por más que le hable él no obedece (Despite I talk to him he doesn’t obey)

5. To give opinions with verbs such as “pensar”, “creer”, “considerar” in negative sentences

• No pienso que puedan lograrlo (I don’t think they can achieve it)
• Él no cree que sea un auto nuevo (He doesn’t think it is a new car)
• Ella no considera justo que ellos ganen más dinero (She doesn’t think it’s fair men earn more money)

6. To give pieces of advice or commands

• ¡Te ruego que la llames con más frecuencia! (I beg you to call her more often!)
• ¡Te prohíbo que juegues con armas! (I prohibit you to play with guns!)
• ¡No me gusta que le hables así! (I don’t like you to talk like this to him or her!)

The present subjunctive conjugation of model regular verbs (ar, er, ir) is:

Some irregular verbs have the following changes when conjugated in the present subjunctive:

u changes to ue as in jugar.

o changes to ue as in poder.

e changes to ie as in sentir.

“Para” means “for”, “to”, “in oder to” depending on the context.

Usage:

1. To indicate destination

Example: el hombre salió para Madrid. (The man left to Madrid)

2. To show the use or purpose of a thing

Example: el vaso es para agua. (The cup is for water)

3. To mean “in order to” or “for the purpose of”

Example: para hacer paella, primero dore las carnes. (To prepare Paella, first brown the meat)

4. To indicate a recipient

Example: este regalo es para ti. (This gift is for you)

5. To express a deadline or specific time

Example: necesito el vestido para el lunes. (I need the dress for Monday)

6. To express a contrast from what is expected

Example: para ser un niño, lee muy bien. (Despite he is a kid, he can read well)

7. “estar para” to express an action that will soon be completed (it’s about to happen)

Example: el tren está para salir. (The train is about to leave)

8. To express an opinion

Example: para ellos, eso es fundamental. (For them, that is fundamental)

Some idiomatic expressions with “Para”:

“Por” means “for”, “because of”, “by” and several other meanings depending on the context.

Usage:

1. To express gratitude or apology

Example: ¡gracias por la ayuda! (Thanks for the help!)

2. For multiplication and division

Example: Dos por dos son cuatro. (Two times two equals four)

3. For velocity, frequency and proportion

Example: Voy al restaurante cinco veces por semana. (I go to the restaurant five times a week)

4. Meaning “through,” “along,” “by” or “in the area of”

Example: Andamos por el parque. (We walk through the park)

5. When talking about exchange, including sales

Example: Él me dio diez dólares por el libro. (He gave me ten dollars for the book)

6. To mean “on behalf of,” or “in favor of,”

Example: No voté por nadie. (I didn’t vote for anyone)

7. To express a length of time

Example: yo estudié por dos horas. (I studied for two hours)

8. To express an undetermined, or general time, meaning “during”

Example: se puede ver las estrellas por la noche. (Stars can be seen at night)

9. For means of communication or transportation

Example: prefiero viajar por tren y hablar por teléfono. (I prefer to travel by train and talk by phone)

10. In cases of mistaken identity, or meaning “to be seen as”

Example: me tienen por loco. (They think I’m crazy)

11. To show the reason for an errand

Example: voy por las frutas (in Spain, “voy a por las frutas”). (I go to get the fruits)

12. When followed by an infinitive, to express an action that remains to be completed, use “por + infinitive”

Example: la cena está por prepararse/cocinarse. (The dinner is yet to be prepared)

13. To express cause or reason

Example: el hombre murió por falta de agua. (The man died due to lack of water)

14. “Estar por” means to be in the mood, or inclined to do something

Example: estoy por tomar café. (I feel like having some coffee)

15. In passive constructions

Example: el libro fue escrito por Octavio Paz. (The book was written by Octavio Paz)

Some idiomatic expressions with “Por”:

Definition of article

Article is a word that is linked to nouns and its grammatical function is to give specificity to those nouns rather than describing them.

The indefinite article

Usage:

1. When it is referring to something unknown by the speaker or speakers.

• Él trajo una herramienta nueva (He brought a new tool)
• Ellos trabajaron en un pueblo lejano (They worked in a distant town)
• Ella recibió un regalo ayer (She received a gift yesterday)

2. To talk about qualitative or quantitative non-evident features with “que”.

• María tiene un carisma que enamora (Maria has an attracting charm)
• Tengo un sueño intenso que no puedo mantener los ojos abiertos (I feel intensively sleepy that can hardly keep my eyes open)

3. When the preceding noun doesn’t designate a particular individual but a kind.

• Los profesores deberían tener una paciencia única (Teachers should have unique patience)
• Los políticos tienen un gran poder de persuasión (Politicians have a great persuasion ability)

4. To compare somebody with a famous person

• Él tiene la voz de un Pavarotti (He has the voice of a Pavarotti)
• Rosa es una Marie Curie (Rose is a Marie Curie)

5. Before a cardinal number to mean “approximately”.

• Vinieron unas cuarenta personas (Around forty people came)
• La temperatura es de unos 23 grados (The temperature is around 23 degrees)

6. It is used with the quantifiers “pocos”, “cuantos” to mean “some” or “several”

• Él tiene unos pocos amigos (He has a few friends)
• Esa persona ha visitado unos cuantos países (That person has visited a few countries)

7. To name letters of the alphabet

• Una eme minúscula casi no se ve (A lower case ‘m’ can hardly be seen)
• ¿Qué es una hache muda? (What is a silent ‘h’?)

8. To refer to people by their last names

• Maria es una Rojas (Maria is a Rojas)
• Ese niño es un González (That kid is a Gonzalez)

9. With continent names the masculine form is used

• Un Asia próspera (A prosperous Asia)
• Un África en evolución (An Africa in evolution)

10. With names of countries, cities or regions:

• Él vivía en una Francia romántica (He used to live in a romantic France)
• La de hoy, es una Inglaterra modernista (Today’s, it is a modern England)

11. With unstressed initial “a”.

• El ave tenía una alita herida (The bird had an injured wing)
• Es una agüita medicinal (This is a medicinal infusion)

12. With elative adjectives

• ¡Fue una magnífica fiesta! (It was a great party!)
• Le dieron a él un recibimiento inigualable (He was given an incomparable reception)

Definition of article

Article is a word that is linked to nouns and its grammatical function is to give specificity to those nouns rather than describing them.

The definite articles in Spanish

Usage:

1. When it is referring to something definite and specific.

• Ana recibió la carta de su hijo menor (Ana received the letter from her youngest son)
• El gato de Juan es blanco (John’s cat is white)
• El periodista no pudo ir a la reunión de anoche (The journalist couldn’t attend last night’s meeting)

2. When it is referring to something definite but not specific.

• Estamos buscando a la persona ideal para este cargo (We are seeking the ideal person for this position)
• El triunfador recibirá 2 millones de dólares (The winner will receive 2 million dollars)

3. With elliptical sense (with something known)

• Hay dos libros sobre la mesa. El mío es el rojo (There are 2 books on the table. Mine is the red one)
• Tu falda es hermosa. La de tu hermana también (Your skirt is beautiful. Your sister’s as well)

4. With acronyms either masculine or feminine depending of the main noun gender

• El SELA inició sesiones hoy. (SELA = Sistema Económico Latinoamericano y del Caribe. The word “Sistema” is masculine) (SELA started its sessions today)
• La ONU organizará un evento cultural (ONU = Organización de las Naciones Unidas. The word “Organización” is feminine) (UN will organize a culture event)

5. To name specific letters of the alphabet

• La segunda “á” en mamá debe llevar tilde (The second ‘a’ in the word mamá must have written accent)
• Antes de la “p” en “campo”, debes escribir una m (Before ‘p’ in ‘campo’, you must write ‘m’)

6. To refer to specific people by their last names

• Los Torres viven cerca de aquí (The Torres live nearby)
• Carlos es el Durán que vimos anoche (Carlos is the Durán we saw last night)

7. With specific continent names

• El África de hoy aún vive en la pobreza (The Africa of today still lives in poverty)
• La Europa del siglo pasado sufrió muchas transformaciones (Last century’s Europe underwent many transformations)

8. “a” + “el” are contracted as “al” (with a few exceptions)

• Ella visitó al doctor la semana pasada (She visited the doctor last week)
• Los niños entraron al salón (The kids entered the classroom)

9. “de” + “el” are contracted as “del” (with a few exceptions)

• Este requisito es parte del contrato (This requirement is part of the contract)
• Ese auto es del hermano de Lynn (This car belongs to Lynn’s brother)

10. With unique nouns

• El sol casi siempre sale a las 6 am (The sun almost always rises at 6 am)
• El planeta tierra podría desaparecer (The Earth planet could disappear)

11. With restrictive modifiers

• Le dieron a ella el recibimiento de siempre (They gave her the usual reception)
• El restaurante sirvió la cena habitual (The restaurant served the habitual dinner)

12. With deictic sense

• Prohibido beber alcohol en el autobús (Drinking alcohol on the bus is not allowed)
• No uses el celular cuando conduzcas (Do not use your mobile phone when driving)

13. With anaphoric sense

• ¡Trae la llave por favor! (Bring the key please!)
• El gerente no vino hoy (The manager did not come today)

14. With endophoric sense

• Juan le dio a su hijo todo el dinero que había ahorrado en la última semana (John gave his son all the money he has saved for the last week)
• Robert renunció al trabajo después de 5 años de dedicación (Robert resigned to his job after 5 years of dedication)

15. With the days of the week and time (with a few exceptions)

• El lunes es festivo (Next Monday is a holiday)
• La conferencia empezó a las 5 de la tarde (The conference started at 5 pm)
• El almacén tiene algunas promociones los martes (The store has some promotions on Tuesdays)

16. With dates (with a few exceptions)

• Ellos empezaron a estudiar el 2 de febrero de 2050 (They started to study on February 2, 2050)
• Llegaron el día 24 de abril (They came in April 24)