Inklingo
A chef adding more wood to a fire under a boiling pot to make the water bubble faster.

apresurar Imperfect Conjugation

apresurarto hasten

B1regular -ar★★★
Quick answer:

The imperfect 'apresuraba' describes ongoing or habitual past actions of hastening.

apresurar Imperfect Forms

yoapresuraba
apresurabas
él/ella/ustedapresuraba
nosotrosapresurábamos
vosotrosapresurabais
ellos/ellas/ustedesapresuraban

When to Use the Imperfect

Use the imperfect of 'apresurar' to describe a past habit of rushing, or an action of hastening that was in progress over a period of time without a clear end. It sets the scene or describes background actions.

Notes on apresurar in the Imperfect

Apresurar is regular in the imperfect indicative. The stem remains unchanged, and standard -ar verb endings are used.

Example Sentences

  • Cuando era joven, yo apresuraba mucho las mañanas.

    When I was young, I used to rush my mornings a lot.

    yo

  • Tú siempre apresurabas la salida de casa.

    You always hastened your departure from home.

  • Él apresuraba el paso porque tenía prisa.

    He was hastening his pace because he was in a hurry.

    él/ella/usted

  • Nosotros apresurábamos el trabajo para terminar a tiempo.

    We were hastening the work to finish on time.

    nosotros

  • Ellos apresuraban la llegada a la estación.

    They were hastening their arrival at the station.

    ellos/ellas/ustedes

Common Mistakes

  • Mistake: Using the imperfect for a single, completed instance of hastening.

    Correct: For a specific past action, use the preterite: 'Apresuramos el coche'.

    Why: The imperfect describes ongoing or habitual actions, not completed ones.

  • Mistake: Confusing the imperfect 'apresuraba' with the conditional 'apresuraría'.

    Correct: Remember that 'apresuraba' is for past ongoing/habitual actions, while 'apresuraría' is for 'would hasten'.

    Why: The endings are different and belong to distinct tenses with different meanings.

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Related Tenses