asombrar Imperfect Conjugation
asombrar — to amaze
The imperfect of asombrar (asombraba) describes ongoing or habitual past amazement.
asombrar Imperfect Forms
When to Use the Imperfect
Use the imperfect of 'asombrar' to describe situations in the past where someone or something was regularly amazing, or when describing the background scene where amazement was happening. For example, 'He always amazed me with his stories' or 'The children were amazed by the fireworks'.
Notes on asombrar in the Imperfect
Asombrar is regular in the imperfect indicative tense. The endings are standard for -ar verbs in this tense.
Example Sentences
Cuando era niño, los trucos de magia me asombraban.
When I was a child, magic tricks amazed me.
ellos/ellas/ustedes
Ella siempre asombraba a todos con sus ideas.
She always amazed everyone with her ideas.
él/ella/usted
Yo me asombraba de su paciencia.
I was amazed by his patience.
yo
Vosotros os asombrabais con cada truco nuevo.
You (plural, informal) were amazed by every new trick.
vosotros
Common Mistakes
Mistake: Using the imperfect instead of the preterite for a single, completed act of amazement.
Correct: Use 'Me asombró la noticia' (The news amazed me - completed event) instead of 'Me asombraba la noticia'.
Why: Imperfect describes ongoing or habitual past actions, while preterite is for specific, completed past events.
Mistake: Forgetting the reflexive pronoun with 'asombrarse'.
Correct: Use 'me asombraba', 'te asombrabas', 'se asombraba', etc.
Why: 'Asombrarse' is a pronominal verb and requires the reflexive pronoun when the subject is the one experiencing amazement.
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Related Tenses
Present
yo: asombro
The present tense of asombrar (asombro) describes habitual actions or things that amaze now.
Preterite
yo: asombré
The preterite of asombrar is regular: asombré, asombraste, asombró, asombramos, asombrasteis, asombraron.
Future
yo: asombraré
The future tense of asombrar (asombraré) indicates that something will amaze.
Conditional
yo: asombraría
The conditional of asombrar (asombraría) expresses 'would amaze' or polite requests.
Present Subjunctive
yo: asombre
The present subjunctive of asombrar (asombre) is used for wishes, doubts, and emotions.
Imperfect Subjunctive
yo: asombrara
The imperfect subjunctive of asombrar (asombrara/asombrase) is used for past hypotheticals or wishes.
Affirmative Imperative
yo: asombra
The imperative of asombrar is mostly regular, with commands like 'asombra' (tú) and 'asombren' (ustedes).
Negative Imperative
yo: no asombres
Negative commands for asombrar use the present subjunctive, like 'no asombres' (tú) and 'no asombren' (ustedes).