alabar Imperfect Subjunctive Conjugation
alabar — to praise
Use the imperfect subjunctive ('alabara'/'alabarais') for past hypotheticals or wishes.
alabar Imperfect Subjunctive Forms
When to Use the Imperfect Subjunctive
This tense is used for hypothetical situations in the past, wishes, doubts, or polite requests referring to the past. For example, 'I would have praised him if I had seen him' or 'If only she praised the food more'.
Notes on alabar in the Imperfect Subjunctive
Alabar is regular in the imperfect subjunctive. Both the -ra and -se forms exist, but the -ra form (alabara, alabaras, alabara, alabáramos, alabarais, alabaran) is more common in everyday speech.
Example Sentences
Yo alabara tu trabajo si hubieras terminado a tiempo.
I would praise your work if you had finished on time.
yo
Si él nos alabara más, estaríamos más motivados.
If he praised us more, we would be more motivated.
él/ella/usted
Ellos nos pidieron que alabáramos su presentación.
They asked us to praise their presentation.
nosotros
¿Tú qué harías si te alabaran públicamente?
What would you do if they praised you publicly?
ellos/ellas/ustedes
Common Mistakes
Mistake: Confusing imperfect subjunctive with preterite or imperfect indicative.
Correct: Use the imperfect subjunctive for unreal or hypothetical past conditions, e.g., 'Si él alabara...' not 'Si él alabó...' or 'Si él alababa...'.
Why: The subjunctive mood expresses unreality, desire, or doubt, which is key for these clauses.
Mistake: Using the wrong ending for the -ra form.
Correct: Ensure correct endings: 'alabara' (yo/él/ella/Ud.), 'alabaras' (tú), 'alabáramos' (nosotros), 'alabarais' (vosotros), 'alabaran' (ellos/ellas/Uds.).
Why: These endings are specific to the imperfect subjunctive and can be confused with other tenses.
Master Spanish verbs in context
Memorizing tables only gets you so far. Read 200+ illustrated and narrated Spanish stories to see verbs like 'alabar' used naturally — in the tenses you're learning.
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.
Imperfect
yo: alababa
The imperfect of 'alabar' is regular: alababa, alababas, alababa, alabábamos, alababais, alababan.
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.
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).