censurar Imperfect Conjugation
censurar — to censor
Use 'censuraba' for ongoing or habitual past censoring actions.
censurar Imperfect Forms
When to Use the Imperfect
The imperfect is used for descriptions, habitual actions, or ongoing actions in the past. For 'censurar', you might say 'Cuando era joven, censuraba muchos libros' (When I was young, I used to censor many books) or 'El país censuraba la información durante la guerra' (The country was censoring information during the war).
Notes on censurar in the Imperfect
Censurar is regular in the imperfect indicative. The forms are: censuraba, censurabas, censuraba, censurábamos, censurabais, censuraban.
Example Sentences
Antes, él censuraba todo lo que leía.
Before, he used to censor everything he read.
él/ella/usted
Yo censuraba esos correos electrónicos porque eran spam.
I used to censor those emails because they were spam.
yo
¿Tú censurabas las películas?
Did you used to censor movies?
tú
Ellos censuraban la información sensible en esa época.
They were censoring sensitive information back then.
ellos/ellas/ustedes
Common Mistakes
Mistake: Using the preterite ('censuró') instead of the imperfect ('censuraba') for habitual or ongoing past actions.
Correct: For actions that happened repeatedly or were in progress, use the imperfect: 'Ella censuraba los comentarios a diario'.
Why: The imperfect describes the background or continuity of past events, not completed single instances.
Mistake: Confusing the imperfect 'censurábamos' with the present 'censuramos'.
Correct: Ensure you use the correct ending: '-ábamos' for imperfect, '-amos' for present.
Why: These forms sound similar but denote different tenses and meanings.
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Related Tenses
Present
yo: censuro
Use 'censuro' for actions happening now or habitual censoring.
Preterite
yo: censuré
Use 'censuré' for completed past actions like censoring a specific article.
Future
yo: censuraré
Use 'censuraré' for future actions, like censoring content next week.
Conditional
yo: censuraría
Use 'censuraría' for hypothetical censoring ('would censor').
Present Subjunctive
yo: censure
Use 'censure' for wishes, doubts, emotions, and impersonal expressions.
Imperfect Subjunctive
yo: censurara
Use 'censurara' or 'censurase' for past hypothetical or desired actions.
Affirmative Imperative
yo: censura
Use 'censura' for 'tú' commands, 'censure' for 'usted/ustedes', and 'censurad' for 'vosotros'.
Negative Imperative
yo: no censures
Use 'no censures' for 'tú', 'no censure' for 'usted/ustedes', and 'no censuréis' for 'vosotros'.