pidiera

Pidiera is a form of the Spanish verb pedir (to ask or to request) in the imperfect subjunctive mood. It is used in subordinate clauses to express wishes, doubts, hypothetical situations, or polite requests in the past or in counterfactual contexts.

Morphology and forms: Pidiera belongs to the -ra group of imperfect subjunctive forms. It is derived from the third-person plural preterite form pidieron with the ending -ron removed, plus the endings -era. The -se variant pidiese also exists as an alternative, giving forms such as pidiese, pidieses, pidiese, pidiésemos or pidieramos, pidierais, pidiesen. The singular forms include yo pidiera, tú pidieras, él/ella/usted pidiera; the plural forms include nosotros pidieramos (or pidiésemos), vosotros pidierais, ellos pidieran.

Common uses: The form is widely used after verbs and expressions of desire, doubt, or emotion, as in Quisiera que vinieras (I would like you to come) or No sabía si pidiera ayuda (I wasn’t sure if he/she would ask for help). It also appears in polite or softened requests, such as Quisiera pedirle un favor (I would like to ask you for a favor). In conditional constructions, the imperfect subjunctive often appears in si-clauses to express hypothetical past or present conditions, e.g., Si pidiera ayuda, podría terminar a tiempo (If I asked for help, I could finish on time). In the main clause, the conditional often follows.

Relation to other tenses: Pidiera contrasts with pidió, the preterite form used for a completed past action. The imperfect subjunctive is primarily used in subordinate clauses or in conditional constructions, and its choice depends on the tense and modality of the surrounding clause.

See also: pedir, subjunctive mood, imperfect subjunctive.