abordar Imperfect Conjugation
abordar — to tackle
Ongoing or habitual past actions: abordaba, abordabas, abordaba, abordábamos, abordabais, abordaban.
abordar Imperfect Forms
When to Use the Imperfect
Use the imperfect for actions that were ongoing in the past, habitual actions in the past, or to describe background settings and conditions. For 'abordar,' it means you used to tackle things regularly, or you were in the process of approaching something.
Notes on abordar in the Imperfect
Abordar is regular in the imperfect. All conjugations follow the standard pattern for -ar verbs.
Example Sentences
Cuando era joven, yo abordaba todos los retos con entusiasmo.
When I was young, I used to tackle all challenges with enthusiasm.
yo
Tú siempre abordabas los problemas de manera muy analítica.
You always approached problems in a very analytical way.
tú
El profesor abordaba el tema con paciencia en cada clase.
The professor approached the topic with patience in every class.
él/ella/usted
Nosotros abordábamos la planificación con mucho cuidado.
We were approaching the planning with great care.
nosotros
Ellos abordaban la conversación de forma indirecta.
They used to approach the conversation indirectly.
ellos/ellas/ustedes
Common Mistakes
Mistake: Using the preterite instead of the imperfect for descriptions or habitual actions.
Correct: Use 'abordaba' for background description, not 'abordó'.
Why: This is a fundamental difficulty. The imperfect sets the scene or describes ongoing/repeated past actions, while the preterite interrupts it with a completed event.
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Related Tenses
Present
yo: abordo
Habitual or current actions: abordo, abordas, aborda, abordamos, abordáis, abordan.
Preterite
yo: abordé
Completed past actions: abordé, abordaste, abordó, abordamos, abordasteis, abordaron.
Future
yo: abordaré
Future actions: abordaré, abordarás, abordará, abordaremos, abordaréis, abordarán.
Conditional
yo: abordaría
Hypothetical 'would': abordaría, abordarías, abordaría, abordaríamos, abordaríais, abordarían.
Present Subjunctive
yo: aborde
Present subjunctive: I hope you tackle, it's unlikely they tackle (aborde, abordes, abordemos, etc.).
Imperfect Subjunctive
yo: abordara
Past subjunctive: If I tackled..., if you would tackle... (abordara, abordaras, abordáramos, etc.).
Affirmative Imperative
yo: aborda
Commands: aborda (tú), aborde (usted), abordemos (nosotros), aborden (ustedes), abordad (vosotros).
Negative Imperative
yo: no abordes
Negative commands use the present subjunctive: no abordes (tú), no aborde (usted), no abordemos (nosotros), no aborden (ustedes), no abordeis (vosotros).