auxiliar Imperfect Conjugation
auxiliar — to help
Use 'auxiliaba', 'auxiliabas', 'auxiliaba', 'auxiliábamos', 'auxiliabais', 'auxiliaban' for ongoing or habitual past help.
auxiliar Imperfect Forms
When to Use the Imperfect
The imperfect is for describing actions in the past that were ongoing, habitual, or setting the scene. Think of it as the background description: 'He used to help' or 'She was helping when...'.
Notes on auxiliar in the Imperfect
Auxiliar is regular in the imperfect indicative. The endings are standard for -ar verbs: -aba, -abas, -aba, -ábamos, -abais, -aban.
Example Sentences
Yo auxiliaba a mis abuelos todos los domingos.
I used to help my grandparents every Sunday.
yo
¿Tú auxiliabas a la gente en el refugio?
Did you help people at the shelter? (habitually)
tú
Ella auxiliaba a los estudiantes con sus tareas.
She was helping the students with their homework.
él/ella/usted
Mientras estudiábamos, nosotros auxiliábamos a los compañeros.
While we studied, we helped our classmates.
nosotros
Ellos auxiliaban a los enfermos en el hospital.
They helped the sick in the hospital. (ongoing/habitual)
ellos/ellas/ustedes
Common Mistakes
Mistake: Using the preterite 'auxilió' for a habitual past action.
Correct: For habitual or ongoing past actions, use the imperfect: 'Ella auxiliaba'.
Why: The imperfect describes continuous or repeated actions in the past, setting the scene, whereas the preterite describes a single, completed event.
Mistake: Confusing the nosotros form 'auxiliábamos' with other tenses.
Correct: Ensure you're using the correct imperfect ending '-ábamos' for 'nosotros'.
Why: Consistency with the -aba endings is key for the imperfect tense.
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Related Tenses
Present
yo: auxilio
Use 'auxilio', 'auxilias', 'auxilia', 'auxiliamos', 'auxiliáis', 'auxilian' for current or habitual helping.
Preterite
yo: auxilié
Use 'auxilié', 'auxiliaste', 'auxilió', 'auxiliamos', 'auxiliasteis', 'auxiliaron' for completed past actions of helping.
Future
yo: auxiliaré
Use 'auxiliaré', 'auxiliarás', 'auxiliará', 'auxiliaremos', 'auxiliaréis', 'auxiliarán' for future help.
Conditional
yo: auxiliaría
Use 'auxiliaría', 'auxiliarías', 'auxiliaría', 'auxiliaríamos', 'auxiliaríais', 'auxiliarían' for 'would' help.
Present Subjunctive
yo: auxilie
Use 'auxilie', 'auxilies', 'auxiliemos', 'auxilien' after wishes, doubts, or emotions.
Imperfect Subjunctive
yo: auxiliara
Use 'auxiliara' or 'auxiliarais' for past hypothetical situations or wishes.
Affirmative Imperative
yo: auxilia
Use 'auxilia', 'auxilie', 'auxiliemos', 'auxiliad', 'auxilien' for direct commands with 'auxiliar'.
Negative Imperative
yo: no auxilies
Use 'no auxilies', 'no auxilie', 'no auxiliemos', 'no auxiliéis', 'no auxilien' for negative commands.