aspirar Imperfect Conjugation
aspirar — to breathe in
The imperfect 'aspiraba' describes ongoing past actions, habits, or background details.
aspirar Imperfect Forms
When to Use the Imperfect
Use the imperfect for descriptions in the past, habitual actions, or ongoing events that were happening when something else occurred. For 'aspirar', it could be describing someone's lifelong ambition or the act of breathing in a continuous way.
Notes on aspirar in the Imperfect
Aspirar is regular in the imperfect tense. The endings are standard for -ar verbs: -aba, -abas, -aba, -ábamos, -abais, -aban.
Example Sentences
Cuando era niño, aspiraba a ser astronauta.
When I was a child, I aspired to be an astronaut.
yo
Ella aspiraba el aire helado.
She was breathing in the icy air.
él/ella/usted
¿Tú aspirabas a algo más en la vida?
Were you aiming for something more in life?
tú
Ellos aspiraban tranquilamente mientras esperaban.
They were breathing calmly while they waited.
ellos/ellas/ustedes
Common Mistakes
Mistake: Using the preterite 'aspiró' instead of the imperfect 'aspiraba' for a past habit.
Correct: Use 'Siempre aspiraba a lo mejor' (imperfect) for a past habit or ongoing ambition.
Why: The imperfect describes ongoing states or habits, while the preterite describes completed actions.
Mistake: Confusing the 'yo' and 'él/ella/usted' forms, as both are 'aspiraba'.
Correct: Context and subject pronouns clarify who is speaking: 'Yo aspiraba...' vs. 'Él aspiraba...'.
Why: These two forms are identical, so clarity comes from the surrounding sentence structure.
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Related Tenses
Present
yo: aspiro
The present tense 'aspiro' is for actions happening now, habitual actions, or general truths.
Preterite
yo: aspiré
The preterite of aspirar is regular: aspiré, aspiraste, aspiró, aspiramos, aspirasteis, aspiraron.
Future
yo: aspiraré
The future tense 'aspiraré' expresses what will happen or probability.
Conditional
yo: aspiraría
The conditional 'aspiraría' is used for hypotheticals ('would'), polite requests, or future-in-the-past.
Present Subjunctive
yo: aspire
The present subjunctive, like 'aspire' or 'aspiren', follows expressions of doubt, desire, emotion, or uncertainty.
Imperfect Subjunctive
yo: aspirara
The imperfect subjunctive, like 'aspirara' or 'aspirase', is for past hypotheticals, wishes, or doubts.
Affirmative Imperative
yo: aspira
Use imperative forms like 'aspira' (tú) and 'aspiren' (ustedes) for direct commands.
Negative Imperative
yo: no aspires
Negative commands use 'no' plus the present subjunctive, like 'no aspires' (tú) or 'no aspiren' (ustedes).