Spanish grammar
Pudiera, hiciera, supiera, estuviera, dijera
Say what you would do if you could, using irregular imperfect subjunctive forms.
From the scene Si pudiera, lo haría (If I could, I would do it)
In short
Irregular preterites keep their stem in the imperfect subjunctive: pudiera, hiciera, supiera, estuviera, dijera.
Your turn
Which one goes with if I did it?
Options: si supiera · si lo hiciera · si pudiera
Show answer
if I did it → si lo hiciera
How it works
Verbs with an irregular preterite keep that stem.
Your turn
Pick the word that fits the line.
Si usted nos (blank) qué quiere guardar, lo haríamos juntos.
Clue: usted (Ramón)
Options: dice · diría · dijera
Show answer
Si usted nos dijera qué quiere guardar, lo haríamos juntos.
If you told us what you want to keep, we’d do it together.
Good to know
Pudieron → pudiera, hicieron → hiciera, supieron → supiera, estuvieron → estuviera, dijeron → dijera.
Good to know
The -ra endings are the same as for regular verbs.
if I could si pudiera
Ramón
Sí. Hay que vaciarlo. Si pudiera, lo haría yo mismo.
Yes. It needs emptying. If I could, I’d do it myself.
Your turn
What fills the gap?
Sí. Hay que vaciarlo. (blank), lo haría yo mismo.
Options: Si lo hiciera · Si supiera · Si pudiera
Show answer
Ramón
Sí. Hay que vaciarlo. Si pudiera, lo haría yo mismo.
Yes. It needs emptying. If I could, I’d do it myself.
if I did it si lo hiciera
Ramón
No es eso. Si lo hiciera, lloraría con cada caja.
It's not that. If I did it, I'd cry over every box.
Your turn
What fills the gap?
No es eso. (blank), lloraría con cada caja.
Options: Si lo hiciera · Si pudiera · Si supiera
Show answer
Ramón
No es eso. Si lo hiciera, lloraría con cada caja.
It's not that. If I did it, I'd cry over every box.
if I knew si supiera
Ramón
Si supiera qué guardar y qué tirar... pero no lo sé.
If I knew what to keep and what to throw out... but I don't.
Your turn
What fills the gap?
(blank) qué guardar y qué tirar... pero no lo sé.
Options: Si pudiera · Si lo hiciera · Si supiera
Show answer
Ramón
Si supiera qué guardar y qué tirar... pero no lo sé.
If I knew what to keep and what to throw out... but I don't.
if I were (in your place) si estuviera (en su lugar)
Your turn
What goes with si estuviera (en su lugar)?
Options: if I could · if I did it · if I were (in your place)
Show answer
si estuviera (en su lugar) → if I were (in your place)
if you told us si nos dijera
Practise it in the story
Meet this rule inside a short animated scene. Answer as it plays, then say the lines yourself.
Practise free in the appSee all forms
| if I could | si pudiera |
|---|---|
| if I did it | si lo hiciera |
| if I knew | si supiera |
| if I were (in your place) | si estuviera (en su lugar) |
| if you told us | si nos dijera |
More lines from the story
- NuriaSi usted nos dijera qué quiere guardar, lo haríamos juntos.If you told us what you want to keep, we’d do it together.
- RamónGracias... Si pudiera, os bajaría el alquiler. Pero no puedo.Thank you... If I could, I'd lower your rent. But I can't.
- Nuria¡Cuántas cosas! ¿Todo esto es de ella?So many things! Is all of this hers?