adoptar Imperfect Conjugation
adoptar — to adopt
The imperfect of 'adoptar' (adoptaba, adoptabas, adoptaba, adoptábamos, adoptabais, adoptaban) describes ongoing or habitual past actions.
adoptar Imperfect Forms
When to Use the Imperfect
Use the imperfect tense to describe actions in the past that were ongoing, habitual, or set the background scene. For example, 'Cuando era niño, adoptaba un gatito cada año' (When I was a child, I adopted a kitten every year) or 'Él adoptaba una actitud muy seria' (He used to adopt a very serious attitude).
Notes on adoptar in the Imperfect
'Adoptar' is regular in the imperfect tense.
Example Sentences
Yo adoptaba el hábito de leer antes de dormir.
I used to adopt the habit of reading before bed.
yo
Tú siempre adoptabas buenas ideas de tus amigos.
You always adopted good ideas from your friends.
tú
Ella adoptaba un tono de voz calmado.
She used to adopt a calm tone of voice.
él/ella/usted
Ellos adoptaban medidas de seguridad básicas.
They used to adopt basic security measures.
ellos/ellas/ustedes
Common Mistakes
Mistake: Using the preterite 'adoptó' instead of the imperfect 'adoptaba' for a habitual action in the past.
Correct: Use the imperfect for ongoing or repeated past actions: 'Ella adoptaba una dieta estricta.'
Why: The imperfect describes continuous or habitual actions in the past, whereas the preterite describes completed actions.
Mistake: Incorrectly conjugating the 'vosotros' form, e.g., 'adoptabais' instead of 'adoptabais'.
Correct: The correct 'vosotros' form is 'adoptabais'.
Why: The imperfect ending for 'vosotros' is '-abais' for -ar verbs.
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Related Tenses
Present
yo: adopto
The present tense of 'adoptar' (adopto, adoptas, adopta, adoptamos, adoptáis, adoptan) describes current or habitual actions.
Preterite
yo: adopté
The preterite of 'adoptar' is regular: adopté, adoptaste, adoptó, adoptamos, adoptasteis, adoptaron, marking completed past actions.
Future
yo: adoptaré
The future tense of 'adoptar' (adoptaré, adoptarás, adoptará, adoptaremos, adoptaréis, adoptarán) indicates actions that will happen.
Conditional
yo: adoptaría
The conditional of 'adoptar' (adoptaría, adoptarías, adoptaría, adoptaríamos, adoptaríais, adoptarían) expresses 'would' actions, polite requests, or future-in-the-past.
Present Subjunctive
yo: adopte
The present subjunctive of 'adoptar' (adopte, adoptes, adoptemos, adopten) is used after expressions of doubt, desire, emotion, and uncertainty.
Imperfect Subjunctive
yo: adoptara
The imperfect subjunctive of 'adoptar' (adoptara/adoptase) is used for hypothetical past situations or polite requests.
Affirmative Imperative
yo: adopta
Imperative commands for 'adoptar' include adopta (tú), adopte (usted), adoptemos (nosotros), adopten (ustedes), and adoptad (vosotros).
Negative Imperative
yo: no adoptes
Negative commands for 'adoptar' use 'no' plus the present subjunctive: no adoptes (tú), no adopte (usted), no adoptemos (nosotros), no adopten (ustedes), no adoptéis (vosotros).