Imperfect Subjunctive (Conjunctive)
The imperfect conjunctive is used in hypothetical conditions, reported speech about past desires, and after expressions of wish or emotion with a past reference.
PortuStories Editorial
European Portuguese Grammar Guide
Take the third person plural simple preterite, remove -am, and add: -sse, -sses, -sse, -ssemos, -sseis, -ssem.
| Person | Falar (falaram→) | Ter (tiveram→) | Ser/Ir (foram→) |
|---|---|---|---|
| eu | falasse | tivesse | fosse |
| tu | falasses | tivesses | fosses |
| ele/ela/você | falasse | tivesse | fosse |
| nós | falássemos | tivéssemos | fôssemos |
| vós | falásseis | tivésseis | fôsseis |
| eles/elas/vocês | falassem | tivessem | fossem |
Se tivesse tempo, leria mais livros.
If I had time, I would read more books.
Hypothetical: imperfect conjunctive + conditional.
Ela queria que eu ficasse mais um dia.
She wanted me to stay one more day.
Any irregularity in the preterite third plural carries into the imperfect conjunctive: fazer → fizessem → fizesse; vir → viessem → viesse; poder → pudessem → pudesse.
From a PortuStories Story
O chefe disse que ficaria satisfeito se a equipa terminasse o projeto antes do prazo.
The boss said he would be satisfied if the team finished the project before the deadline.