12 Mar 2018

Past Subjunctive Phrases (I wish/If only, It’s about time…)

by | posted in: Como Escribir, Gramática, Lecciones Rápidas | 0

This is a short and simple explanation of the Past Subjunctive, and related Expressions and Phrases:

  • I wish/If only…
  • It’s about time…
  • I’d rather (you/he…)
  • …as though/as if….
  • The Second Conditional

Let’s start with a quick explanation of what the subjunctive is. In Spanish it is easily identified. The past subjunctive is (for example):

  • Si tuviera dinero, te lo dejaría = If I had some money, I’d lend you some.
  • Aunque fuera barato, no lo compraría. = Even if it was (were) cheap, I wouldn’t buy it.

In French (as in English), the past is used:

  • Si je savais que vous veniez, j’aurais fait quelque chose a manger. = If I knew you were coming, I would have made something to eat.

….hopefully you will be able to identify the Past Subjunctive in your language (if not, search it on the internet). In English we use the past tense, but it doesn’t mean we are talking about the past. It means we are talking about a hypothetical situation.

Have another look at the sentences above; If I had some money = I don’t have any money – If it was cheap = It isn’t cheap – If I knew you were coming = I didn’t know you were coming. The sentences are hypothetical.

These example use the second conditional, but in this post we are going to look at certain expressions which use the past subjunctive. These are:

  • I wish you were here = Ojalá estuvieras aquí (You aren’t here)
  • If only  she loved me = Ojalá me quisiera (She doesn’t love me)
  • It’s about time you found a job = Ya es hora que encontrases trabajo (You don’t have a job)
  • I’d rather you talked to mum = Preferiría que hablases tu con mamá (That’s not your plan)
  • Sam’s acting really weird, as if he didn’t care = Sam esta muy raro, como si no le importara (He does care)

If you want to talk about a past hypothetical situation, just use had or hadn’t with the past participle (3rd column):

  • I wish I had known
  • If only we hadn’t left so late
  • I’d rather you had cooked for them
  • It was as if he had never played before!

OK? Let’s practice with this exercise. Use one of the structures above:

  1. I’ve been playing the lottery for years, and I’ve never won anything! It’s ___________ one of the top prizes!
  2. You want to take a year off, without studying or working? I’d __________________ university.
  3. My friend eats what he wants. If _________________________________ his metabolism!
  4. He wasn’t surprised when I told him I was pregnant. It was as __________________ it already.
  5. I hate my job! I ______________________________ studied more when I was at school…..
  6. You know tobacco is bad for you. I’d _______________________________ smoke.

Answers below!

Answers!

These are suggestions. If you want to check if your answer is OK, write me a question:

  1. I’ve been playing the lottery for years, and I’ve never won anything! It’s ABOUT TIME I WON one of the top prizes!
  2. You want to take a year off, without studying or working? I’d RATHER YOU WENT TO / STUDIED AT university.
  3. My friend eats what he wants. If ONLY I HAD his metabolism!
  4. He wasn’t surprised when I told him I was pregnant. It was as IF HE KNEW / IF HE HAD DISCOVERED it already.
  5. I hate my job! I WISH I HAD studied more when I was at school…..
  6. You know tobacco is bad for you. I’d RATHER YOU DIDN’T smoke.