existiésemos

Existiésemos is a verb form of existir used in the imperfect subjunctive mood in Spanish, corresponding to the nosotros (we) subject. It is one of the two main series of the imperfect subjunctive forms for verbs of the -ir family, appearing in subordinate clauses that express hypothetical, uncertain, or non-real past situations.

In Spanish, the imperfect subjunctive has two parallel forms: a -ra series and a -se series. Existiésemos belongs to the -se series, while the corresponding -ra form for this verb is generally cited as existieramos (or existierámos in some dialects). These two variants reflect the old but still productive alternation in Spanish subjunctive morphology, and both are understood in modern usage.

Usage of existe and its imperfect subjunctive forms occurs in contexts such as conditional clauses, expressions of doubt or hypothetical outcomes, or indirect speech reporting past possibilities. For example, a sentence requiring past subjunctive after a past-tense clause would use a form like existiésemos or existieramos, depending on the variant chosen, to convey a hypothetical “we existed” in the past or in a non-real situation.

Etymologically, exist- derives from Latin existere, and the form existiésemos follows regular Spanish conjugation patterns for verbs in the imperfect subjunctive. While not as common in everyday speech as present-tense or other mood forms, exis­tiésemos and its related forms are encountered in literary, formal, or historical writing.

See also: existir, subjunctive mood, imperfect subjunctive, Spanish grammar.