conservásemos

Conservásemos is a Spanish verb form derived from conservar. It is the first-person plural (nosotros) imperfect subjunctive form, used in subordinate clauses to express hypothetical situations, wishes, doubts, or conditions. In English terms, it corresponds to “that we conserve” or “if we were to conserve.” The form is one of two standard imperfect-subjunctive endings for -ar verbs, the other being conserváramos.

The imperfect subjunctive (also called pretérito imperfecto de subjuntivo) can be used after expressions of doubt, necessity, desire, or after si in hypothetical or counterfactual constructions. For example: “Si conservásemos más agua, tendríamos suficiente para la sequía.” Another common context is in clauses following verbs of influence or emotion, such as “Es posible que conservásemos ese archivo” or “No creí que conservásemos el registro.”

Variant forms exist. The same mood and tense can be expressed with conserváramos, which is the ra-form, and both forms are grammatically correct. Usage varies by region and style; some speakers prefer one variant over the other, but both convey the same meaning.

Orthography and pronunciation notes: the acute accent on á marks the stressed syllable in conservásemos, helping distinguish it from other potential forms. The form inherently includes the nosotros subject, but in Spanish it is often used with no explicit subject pronoun.

See also: conservar, pretérito imperfecto de subjuntivo, español; and related forms in the -ar verb conjugation.