cepillar Imperfect Conjugation
cepillar — to brush
The imperfect of cepillar (cepillaba, cepillabas, etc.) describes ongoing or habitual past actions.
cepillar Imperfect Forms
When to Use the Imperfect
Use the imperfect to describe routines in the past ('I used to brush my hair every night') or to set the scene in a past story ('The wind was brushing the leaves off the trees').
Notes on cepillar in the Imperfect
Cepillar is regular in the imperfect tense. All conjugations follow the standard pattern for -ar verbs.
Example Sentences
Cuando era niño, me cepillaba los dientes con una escoba.
When I was a child, I used to brush my teeth with a broom.
yo
Tú te cepillabas el pelaje del perro durante horas.
You used to brush the dog's fur for hours.
tú
Ella se cepillaba las pestañas con un peine fino.
She used to brush her eyelashes with a fine comb.
él/ella/usted
Antes, cepillaban la alfombra a mano.
Before, they used to brush the carpet by hand.
ellos/ellas/ustedes
Common Mistakes
Mistake: Using the imperfect for a single, completed past action.
Correct: For a specific, finished action, use the preterite (e.g., 'cepilló'). The imperfect ('cepillaba') is for ongoing or habitual past actions.
Why: The imperfect describes the background or routine, not the specific event that concluded.
Mistake: Confusing the nosotros form.
Correct: The correct imperfect form for 'nosotros' is 'cepillábamos', with the accent on the second 'a'.
Why: The accent is crucial for pronunciation and distinguishes it from other forms.
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Related Tenses
Present
yo: cepillo
The present tense of cepillar (cepillo, cepillas, cepilla, etc.) describes habitual actions, things happening now, or general truths.
Preterite
yo: cepillé
The preterite of cepillar is regular: cepillé, cepillaste, cepilló, cepillamos, cepillasteis, cepillaron.
Future
yo: cepillaré
The future tense of cepillar (cepillaré, cepillarás, etc.) indicates actions that will happen.
Conditional
yo: cepillaría
The conditional of cepillar (cepillaría, cepillarías, etc.) expresses 'would' actions, polite requests, or future-in-the-past.
Present Subjunctive
yo: cepille
The present subjunctive of cepillar (cepille, cepilles, etc.) is used after expressions of doubt, desire, emotion, or uncertainty.
Imperfect Subjunctive
yo: cepillara
The imperfect subjunctive of cepillar (cepillara/cepillase) is used for past hypotheticals or polite requests.
Affirmative Imperative
yo: cepilla
Use the imperative of cepillar for direct commands: ¡cepilla (tú), cepille (usted), etc.!
Negative Imperative
yo: no cepilles
Use 'no' + present subjunctive for negative commands: ¡no cepilles (tú), no cepille (usted), etc.!