Hi all.

The form quisiese is exactly the same as quisiera. The time is "Pretérito Imperfecto del Subjuntivo".

"Quisiera" may be more used but "quisiese" is still quite common (but keep in mind that the "subjuntivo" forms are less common used than "indicativo" for its self nature).

Now, lets see the same time with the verb to be:

Yo fuera/fuese
Tú fueras/fueses
Él/Ella fuera/fuese
Nosotros/as fuéramos/fuésemos
Vosotros/as fuerais/fueseis
Ellos/as fueran/fuesen

This form is equivalent in english to the one used in conditional sentences:

If I was spanish I would live in Spain
Si fuera español viviría en Madrid o
Si fuese español viviría en Madrid

I hope this helps :-)

... but in these sentences I wouldn´t use "quisiese" or "pudiese". It sounds strange.
Am I right?

Quisiera pedirte un favor.
¿Pudiera pedirte un favor?

Some other words that come from Arabic are ajedrez (chess), alquiler (rent), alfombra (carpet), zanahoria (carrot) and alcohol.

[ 08-24-2001: Message edited by: tiajohanna ]

The -ra form of the imperfect subjunctive and the -se form are interchangeable. The -se form has all but disappeared from Latin American Spanish, except in literature.

In Fernando's example of an 'if clause contrary to fact', I would change the English translation to; If I WERE Spanish, I would live in Spain. This indicates that the speaker is NOT Spanish i.e. contrary to reality and therefore the need for the subjunctive. But again, in actual usage the subjuntive mood HAS disapppeared from English.

Perfecta,

How about expressions of modesty or politeness in a main clause like in my examples (see my post above):

I would like to ask you...
Could I (possibly)...

Is the -se form still correct ?

Tia

Both form are correct, and you could hear them in Spain. Sometimes they sound strange, because they are not commonly used, but in other cases it sounds equivalent to -ra. I.e.:

Quisiese ir al mar. Sounds strange.
Si yo tuviese dinero- Sounds natural.

Thanks, Ignacio

:p :p