Conjugate regular -ar verbs in the imperfect tense in Spanish (El Pretérito Imperfecto)

Written by qualified Spanish expert Inma Sánchez BA

Last updated: 2024-04-04

12 questions

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Regular verbs in El Pretérito Imperfecto follow the same pattern.

Learn how to conjugate any regular -ar verb in El Pretérito Imperfecto in Spanish

Add these endings to the stem of the verb:

yo	-aba
tú	-abas
él / ella / Ud.	-aba
nosotros / nosotras	-ábamos
vosotros / vosotras	-abais
ellos / ellas / Uds.	-aban

Read and listen to these examples:

Hablaba con mi padre por teléfono todo el tiempo.I used to talk to my dad on the phone all the time.

María cantaba flamenco en las calles.María used to sing flamenco in the streets

¿Recuerdas cómo bailabas de pequeña?Do you remember how you danced when you were little? [you = tú]

Nosotros caminábamos mucho por el campo antes.We used to walk a lot in the countryside before.

Vosotros nadabais en esa piscina los jueves.You used to swim in that swimming pool on Thursdays.

Estos artistas franceses pintaban cuadros magníficos.These French artists used to paint wonderful paintings.

Ustedes hablaban sin parar cuando eran pequeños.You talked non stop when you were little.

Conjugation of "hablar" in El Pretérito Imperfecto in Spanish

REGULAR -AR VERB	HABLAR
yo	hablaba
tú	hablabas
él / ella / usted	hablaba
nosotros /nosotras	hablábamos
vosotros /vosotras	hablabais
ellos/ellas/ ustedes	hablaban

See also Conjugate regular -er and -ir verbs in the imperfect tense in Spanish (El Imperfecto) for regular -er and -ir verbs in Spanish.

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