alabar Imperfect Conjugation
alabar — to praise
The imperfect of 'alabar' is regular: alababa, alababas, alababa, alabábamos, alababais, alababan.
alabar Imperfect Forms
When to Use the Imperfect
Use the imperfect of 'alabar' to describe habitual or ongoing actions of praising in the past, or to set the scene. For instance, 'He used to praise her singing every day' or 'While he was praising the painting, she entered'.
Notes on alabar in the Imperfect
Alabar is regular in the imperfect tense. All forms are derived regularly from the infinitive.
Example Sentences
Mi abuela siempre me alababa por mis dibujos.
My grandmother always used to praise me for my drawings.
él/ella/usted
Cuando era joven, él alababa mucho a sus mentores.
When he was young, he often praised his mentors.
él/ella/usted
Ustedes nos alababan por nuestro trabajo en equipo.
You all used to praise us for our teamwork.
ellos/ellas/ustedes
Yo te alababa en secreto.
I used to praise you in secret.
yo
Alabábamos el sol cada mañana.
We used to praise the sun every morning.
nosotros
Common Mistakes
Mistake: Using the preterite instead of the imperfect for descriptions or habits.
Correct: Use imperfect for ongoing/habitual past actions: 'Él alababa' (He used to praise), not 'Él alabó' (He praised - completed action).
Why: The imperfect describes background, habits, and continuous actions in the past, not single completed events.
Mistake: Incorrect 'vosotros' form.
Correct: The correct form is 'alababais', not 'alabáis' or 'alababan'.
Why: The imperfect ending for 'vosotros' is '-abais' for -ar verbs.
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Related Tenses
Present
yo: alabo
The present tense of 'alabar' is regular: alabo, alabas, alaba, alabamos, alabáis, alaban.
Preterite
yo: alabé
The preterite of 'alabar' is regular: alabé, alabaste, alabó, alabamos, alabasteis, alabaron.
Future
yo: alabaré
The future tense of 'alabar' is regular: alabaré, alabarás, alabará, alabaremos, alabaréis, alabarán.
Conditional
yo: alabaría
The conditional of 'alabar' is regular: alabaría, alabarías, alabaría, alabaríamos, alabaríais, alabarían.
Present Subjunctive
yo: alabe
Use 'alabar' in the present subjunctive ('alabe', 'alaben') after doubt, wishes, emotions, or impersonal expressions.
Imperfect Subjunctive
yo: alabara
Use the imperfect subjunctive ('alabara'/'alabarais') for past hypotheticals or wishes.
Affirmative Imperative
yo: alaba
Use 'alabar' for direct commands like '¡Alaba tú!' or '¡Alabemos nosotros!'.
Negative Imperative
yo: no alabes
Negative commands use the present subjunctive: 'no alabes' (you), 'no alaben' (they/you all).