Inklingo
A person sitting on a park bench with their head in their hands, looking very tired.

agotar Imperfect Conjugation

agotarto exhaust

A2regular -ar★★★★★
Quick answer:

Ongoing or habitual past actions: 'agotaba' (I was exhausting), 'agotabas' (you were exhausting), 'agotaba' (he/she/it was exhausting).

agotar Imperfect Forms

yoagotaba
agotabas
él/ella/ustedagotaba
nosotrosagotábamos
vosotrosagotabais
ellos/ellas/ustedesagotaban

When to Use the Imperfect

Use the imperfect tense of 'agotar' for actions that were ongoing in the past, habitual actions, or to describe the background setting. For example, 'Cuando era joven, agotaba mis fuerzas jugando al fútbol' (When I was young, I used to exhaust my strength playing football).

Notes on agotar in the Imperfect

Agotar is regular in the imperfect indicative. The conjugation follows the standard -ar verb pattern.

Example Sentences

  • Yo agotaba mi paciencia esperando el autobús.

    I was exhausting my patience waiting for the bus.

    yo

  • Tú agotabas tus energías antes de la carrera.

    You used to exhaust your energy before the race.

  • El trabajo agotaba a los empleados que trabajaban horas extras.

    The work exhausted the employees who worked overtime.

    él/ella/usted

  • Ellos agotaban las provisiones rápidamente en el campamento.

    They were using up the provisions quickly at the camp.

    ellos/ellas/ustedes

Common Mistakes

  • Mistake: Using the imperfect for a single, completed past action.

    Correct: Use the preterite 'agoté' for 'I finished the book yesterday'.

    Why: The imperfect describes ongoing or habitual actions, not finished ones with a clear end.

  • Mistake: Confusing the imperfect with the present tense.

    Correct: Use 'agotaba' for past actions, not 'agoto'.

    Why: The imperfect tense is specifically for past continuous or habitual actions.

Master Spanish verbs in context

Memorizing tables only gets you so far. Read 200+ illustrated and narrated Spanish stories to see verbs like 'agotar' used naturally — in the tenses you're learning.

Related Tenses