conjugation.subjunctive.imperfect-ra-se
-ra or -se: hablara vs hablase
The imperfect subjunctive has two interchangeable sets: hablara/hablase, tuviera/tuviese. -ra dominates everywhere, especially in Latin America; -se survives mainly in Spain and formal writing.
conjugationB2standardinternally_reviewedv1.0.0
Explanation
Both series build on the same preterite base: hablara/hablase, comiera/comiese, fuera/fuese. In nearly every subjunctive context they are free variants — pick one and be consistent within a sentence.
Frequency is lopsided: -ra is the default in speech worldwide and overwhelmingly so in Latin America; -se reads as more formal, literary, or peninsular.
One asymmetry: only -ra forms double as substitutes for the conditional in fixed patterns (hubiera sido mejor = habría sido mejor; quisiera = querría). *Quisiese ayudar doesn't work that way.
Examples
If I could, I would help you.
Region: global
He asked me to call him.
Region: global
It would have been better to wait.
Region: global