quién pudiera.../ojalá hubiera...
Exclamatory Subjunctive
Express a wish about the present or future, or regret a completed past event.
How It Works
¡Quién + imperfect subjunctive! expresses a strong wish, often about a present or future situation that feels out of reach. ¡Quién pudiera! means “If only I could!”, rather than asking who has an ability. Use third-person singular forms such as pudiera, tuviera, or fuera. The corresponding -se forms (pudiese, tuviese, fuese) are also valid.
¡Ojalá + pluperfect subjunctive! expresses regret or a wish for a different past: ¡Ojalá hubiera sabido! (If only I had known!) and ¡Ojalá hubieras venido! (If only you had come!). Form it with hubiera/hubiese and its person endings + a past participle. Both hubiera estudiado and hubiese estudiado are valid.
Write the accents in quién and ojalá. The quién wish construction can also take the pluperfect: ¡Quién hubiera estado allí! (If only I had been there!). Ojalá with the present subjunctive can express a present or future hope: ¡Ojalá esté bien! (I hope they are well!) or ¡Ojalá llueva! (I hope it rains!). Ojalá hubiera is not automatically a past regret: without a participle, hubiera can mean “there were,” as in ¡Ojalá hubiera más tiempo! (If only there were more time!).
Examples (5)
- ¡Quién pudiera viajar por el mundo sin preocupaciones!
If only one could travel the world without worries!
Word by Word: Who could travel for the world without worries!
This expresses a strong wish about a present or future possibility that feels out of reach.
- ¡Quién fuera millonario para no tener que trabajar!
If only I were a millionaire so I wouldn't have to work!
Word by Word: Who were millionaire for not to have to work!
Here, 'fuera' is the imperfect subjunctive of 'ser', used to wish for a different state of being.
- ¡Ojalá hubiera estudiado más para el examen!
If only I had studied more for the exam!
Hubiera estudiado presents a wish for a different completed past; hubiese estudiado is also valid.
- ¡Ojalá no te hubieras ido tan pronto!
I wish you hadn't left so soon!
A regret about a past action performed by someone else.
- ¡Quién tuviera tu talento para la música!
If only I had your talent for music!
Word by Word: Who had your talent for the music!
Common Mistakes
Using the indicative mood instead of the subjunctive.
¡Quién puede hablar cinco idiomas!¡Quién pudiera hablar cinco idiomas!For the intended wish “If only I could speak five languages!”, use pudiera or pudiese. Puede does not express that wish; indicative questions or exclamations have other meanings.
Using the wrong subjunctive tense for the timeframe.
¡Ojalá estudiara más para el examen de ayer!¡Ojalá hubiera estudiado más para el examen de ayer!For regret about studying before yesterday’s completed exam, use hubiera estudiado or hubiese estudiado. Estudiara does not clearly express that completed-past regret. This is a choice for this meaning, not a rule that the imperfect subjunctive can never refer to the past.
How It Connects
Learn This First
To learn exclamatory subjunctive expressions like 'quién pudiera' or 'ojalá hubiera', you must first be comfortable with the imperfect and pluperfect subjunctive forms. These structures are used to express intense, often unattainable wishes or regrets, building upon the basic concept of 'ojalá' but shifting the perspective to hypothetical or past scenarios.
- tuviera/hiciera/pudiera/pusiera/quisiera/supiera/dijera/vinieraCommon Imperfect Subjunctive Irregulars
This pattern uses the imperfect subjunctive forms (like 'pudiera') to express hypothetical or unattainable wishes.
Level 4 - hubiera/hubieras/hubiera/hubiéramos/hubieran + ParticiplePluperfect Subjunctive
The 'ojalá hubiera' construction requires knowledge of the pluperfect subjunctive to express regrets or wishes about the past.
Level 4 - ojalá (que) + SubjunctiveOjalá with Subjunctive
Understanding the basic use of 'ojalá' with the present subjunctive is fundamental before moving to its use in exclamatory past subjunctive forms.
Level 3
Related Patterns
- si + Imperfect Subjunctive + ConditionalUnreal Si Clauses (Present)
Both can describe unreal possibilities. ¡Quién pudiera! is an independent wish; si yo pudiera introduces a condition. They are different constructions, not interchangeable shortened forms.
Level 4 - quisiera + InfinitivePolite Request with Quisiera
Related because 'quisiera' is the imperfect subjunctive of 'querer' and is used to express a wish or polite request. It shares the function of expressing desire and the use of the imperfect subjunctive.
Level 4 - Independent Subjunctive
This is the overarching grammatical concept. Most subjunctive uses are in dependent clauses, but this pattern is a key example of the subjunctive standing alone to express emotion, commands, or wishes.
Level 5
Words in This Pattern
Practice quién pudiera.../ojalá hubiera... in Bubblegum
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