aproximar Imperfect Conjugation

When to Use the Imperfect

Use the imperfect tense for ongoing actions in the past, habitual actions, or background descriptions involving moving closer. For example, 'He was approaching the house' or 'She always moved her chair closer'.

Notes on aproximar in the Imperfect

'Aproximar' is a regular -ar verb in the imperfect indicative. All conjugations follow the standard endings: -aba, -abas, -aba, -ábamos, -abais, -aban.

Example Sentences

• Yo aproximaba la cámara al objeto para enfocar.

  I was moving the camera closer to the object to focus.

  yo

• Tú te aproximabas al fuego porque tenías frío.

  You were moving closer to the fire because you were cold.

  tú

• El tren aproximaba a la estación.

  The train was approaching the station.

  él/ella/usted

• Nosotros aproximábamos las sillas a la mesa cada noche.

  We used to move the chairs closer to the table every night.

  nosotros

• Ellos aproximaban sus tiendas al mercado.

  They were moving their tents closer to the market.

  ellos/ellas/ustedes

Common Mistakes

• Mistake: Using the preterite instead of the imperfect for ongoing or habitual past actions.

  Correct: For 'He was approaching the city' (ongoing action), use 'El aproximaba'. For 'He approached the city yesterday' (completed action), use 'Él aproximó'.

  Why: The imperfect describes the scene or background, while the preterite marks a specific event.

• Mistake: Confusing the 'yo' and 'él/ella/usted' forms.

  Correct: Both are 'aproximaba', but context clarifies who is performing the action.

  Why: This is a common feature of the imperfect tense for -ar verbs.

Related Tenses