definieras

Definieras is a verb form in Spanish. It is the second-person singular imperfect subjunctive (subjuntivo imperfecto) of the verb definir, meaning “to define.” This mood and tense are used to express hypothetical, doubtful, wishes, or non-real actions in the past, as well as hypothetical results in conditional clauses.

Form and variants

The imperfect subjunctive is formed from the third-person plural preterite form, removing the -ron, and adding the respective endings. For definir, the forms include definiera/definiese for the first and third person singular, definieras/definieses for the second person singular, and analogous endings for plural subjects (definierais/definieseis, definieran/definiesen). The same verb also has the alternative set with the -ra and -se endings (definieras and definieses belong to one pair; definiera and definiese to another). In practical terms, definieras is commonly used where the tú form is required in the imperfect subjunctive, with definieses as a regional or stylistic variant.

Usage

Definieras appears in subordinate clauses that follow verbs or expressions of doubt, desire, emotion, necessity, or possibility, typically after phrases like ojalá, quizá, sin embargo, or after conditional clauses starting with si. It is also used in polite or formal past contexts, and in literary or formal writing. Examples include: Si definieras mejor los términos, evitaríamos malentendidos; Quisiera que definieras los criterios con más precisión. In everyday speech, the imperfect subjunctive is less common in favor of other tenses, but it remains standard grammar.

Etymology and related forms

Definir originates from Latin definire. The imperfect subjunctive forms share the characteristic -iera/-iese endings typical of -er verbs in this mood. Related forms are definiera, definiera, definierais, definieran, and their -se/-se- variants.