cambiar Imperfect Conjugation
cambiar — to change
Cambiar is regular in the imperfect: cambiaba, cambiabas, cambiaba, cambiábamos, cambiabais, cambiaban.
cambiar Imperfect Forms
When to Use the Imperfect
Use the imperfect to describe a process of change that was ongoing or a habit you used to have, like how you used to change your hairstyle every month.
Notes on cambiar in the Imperfect
This verb is regular in the imperfect. Note the accent on the 'á' in the nosotros form: cambiábamos.
Example Sentences
Antes, yo cambiaba de trabajo cada año.
Before, I used to change jobs every year.
yo
Tú cambiabas de opinión constantemente.
You used to change your mind constantly.
tú
En esa época, nosotros cambiábamos los muebles de sitio a menudo.
In those days, we used to move the furniture around often.
nosotros
Common Mistakes
Mistake: Forgetting the accent on 'cambiábamos'.
Correct: cambiábamos
Why: All -ar verbs in the imperfect indicative require an accent on the 'a' in the nosotros form.
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Related Tenses
Present
yo: cambio
Cambiar is regular in the present: cambio, cambias, cambia, cambiamos, cambiáis, cambian.
Preterite
yo: cambié
The preterite of cambiar is regular: cambié, cambiaste, cambió, cambiamos, cambiasteis, cambiaron.
Future
yo: cambiaré
The future of cambiar is formed by adding endings to the infinitive: cambiaré, cambiarás, cambiará, cambiaremos, cambiaréis, cambiarán.
Conditional
yo: cambiaría
The conditional of cambiar is regular: cambiaría, cambiarías, cambiaría, cambiaríamos, cambiaríais, cambiarían.
Present Subjunctive
yo: cambie
The present subjunctive of cambiar uses -e endings: cambie, cambies, cambie, cambiemos, cambiéis, cambien.
Imperfect Subjunctive
yo: cambiara
The imperfect subjunctive of cambiar is based on the preterite stem: cambiara, cambiaras, cambiara, cambiáramos, cambiarais, cambiaran.
Affirmative Imperative
yo: cambia
The imperative of cambiar provides direct commands: cambia, cambie, cambiemos, cambiad, cambien.
Negative Imperative
yo: no cambies
The negative imperative of cambiar uses the present subjunctive: no cambies, no cambie, no cambiemos, no cambiéis, no cambien.