Existiéramos

Existiéramos is the first-person plural imperfect subjunctive form of the Spanish verb existir, which translates to "to exist" in English. This verb form is used to express a hypothetical or unreal situation in the past, often in conditional clauses or in subordinate clauses expressing doubt, desire, or emotion.

For example, in the sentence "Si existiéramos en otro universo, las cosas serían diferentes" (If we existed in another universe, things would be different), "existiéramos" is used in the conditional clause to describe a hypothetical past scenario. It indicates that the existence in another universe is not a reality, but a subject of imagination or speculation.

Another common usage is in sentences expressing a wish or regret about a past state. For instance, "Ojalá existiéramos en un tiempo más pacífico" (I wish we existed in a more peaceful time) uses "existiéramos" to convey a longing for a different past that did not actually occur. The imperfect subjunctive mood is crucial here for conveying the unreal or counterfactual nature of the desire.

The imperfect subjunctive is formed by taking the third-person plural preterite indicative form of the verb (in this case, "existieron") and changing the ending. There are two possible endings for the imperfect subjunctive in Spanish: "-ra" and "-se". Therefore, "existiéramos" is grammatically equivalent to "existiramos". Both forms are acceptable and widely used in Spanish-speaking regions. The choice between them often depends on regional preference or stylistic nuance, but their meaning and grammatical function remain the same.