calificar Imperfect Conjugation
calificar — to grade
The imperfect of calificar is regular: calificaba, calificabas, calificaba, calificábamos, calificabais, calificaban.
calificar Imperfect Forms
When to Use the Imperfect
Use this to describe how someone used to grade in the past (habitual) or to set the scene (e.g., 'I was grading when the phone rang').
Notes on calificar in the Imperfect
Calificar is a regular -ar verb in the imperfect. It uses the standard -aba endings.
Example Sentences
Mi antigua maestra calificaba con mucha paciencia.
My old teacher used to grade with a lot of patience.
él/ella/usted
Mientras yo calificaba, los niños jugaban afuera.
While I was grading, the children were playing outside.
yo
Ellos calificaban los vinos en la feria cada año.
They used to rate the wines at the fair every year.
ellos/ellas/ustedes
Common Mistakes
Mistake: Forgetting the accent on the nosotros form.
Correct: calificábamos
Why: The nosotros form of -ar verbs in the imperfect always needs an accent on the first 'a' of the ending.
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Related Tenses
Present
yo: califico
The present tense of calificar is completely regular: califico, calificas, califica, calificamos, calificáis, califican.
Preterite
yo: califiqué
The preterite of calificar is regular except for the 'yo' form, which changes to 'califiqué' to maintain the hard 'k' sound.
Future
yo: calificaré
The future tense of calificar is regular: calificaré, calificarás, calificará, calificaremos, calificaréis, calificarán.
Conditional
yo: calificaría
The conditional of calificar is regular: calificaría, calificarías, calificaría, calificaríamos, calificaríais, calificarían.
Present Subjunctive
yo: califique
The present subjunctive of calificar requires a spelling change from 'c' to 'qu' in all forms: califique, califiques, califique, califiquemos, califiquéis, califiquen.
Imperfect Subjunctive
yo: calificara
The imperfect subjunctive of calificar is formed from the third-person plural preterite: calificara, calificaras, calificara, calificáramos, calificarais, calificaran.
Affirmative Imperative
yo: califica
The affirmative imperative uses califica (tú) and califique (usted), maintaining the 'qu' spelling change for formal commands.
Negative Imperative
yo: no califiques
The negative imperative always uses the 'qu' spelling change: no califiques, no califique, no califiquemos, no califiquéis, no califiquen.