comentar Imperfect Conjugation
comentar — to discuss
Comentar is regular in the imperfect: comentaba, comentabas, comentaba, comentábamos, comentabais, comentaban.
comentar Imperfect Forms
When to Use the Imperfect
Use the imperfect of 'comentar' for ongoing or habitual discussions in the past. For example, 'Cuando era joven, comentaba todo con mi abuela' (When I was young, I used to discuss everything with my grandmother) or 'Ellos comentaban los partidos cada fin de semana' (They used to discuss the games every weekend). It sets the background scene.
Notes on comentar in the Imperfect
Comentar is regular in the imperfect tense.
Example Sentences
Yo comentaba los libros que leía.
I used to discuss the books I read.
yo
¿Tú comentabas eso a menudo?
Did you used to discuss that often?
tú
Ella comentaba las noticias en el café.
She used to discuss the news at the cafe.
él/ella/usted
Nosotros comentábamos nuestros planes.
We used to discuss our plans.
nosotros
Ellos comentaban la película durante los créditos.
They used to discuss the movie during the credits.
ellos/ellas/ustedes
Common Mistakes
Mistake: Using the preterite 'comentó' for ongoing past discussions.
Correct: Use 'comentaba' for habitual or ongoing past discussions, like 'Siempre comentaba...', not 'Siempre comentó...'.
Why: The imperfect describes continuous or repeated actions in the past, while the preterite describes single, completed events.
Mistake: Confusing the nosotros imperfect 'comentábamos' with the nosotros preterite 'comentamos'.
Correct: Remember the double 'b' in the imperfect: 'comentábamos'.
Why: The '-aba' endings are characteristic of the imperfect indicative for -ar verbs.
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Related Tenses
Present
yo: comento
Comentar is regular in the present: comento, comentas, comenta, comentamos, comentáis, comentan.
Preterite
yo: comenté
Comentar is regular in the preterite: comenté, comentaste, comentó, comentamos, comentasteis, comentaron.
Future
yo: comentaré
The future tense of comentar is regular: comentaré, comentarás, comentará, comentaremos, comentaréis, comentarán.
Conditional
yo: comentaría
The conditional of comentar is regular: comentaría, comentarías, comentaría, comentaríamos, comentaríais, comentarían.
Present Subjunctive
yo: comente
Use 'comente' (yo/él/ella/usted) and 'comenten' (ellos/ellas/ustedes) for wishes, doubts, and emotions.
Imperfect Subjunctive
yo: comentara
Use 'comentara' or 'comentase' for past hypothetical situations or wishes.
Affirmative Imperative
yo: comenta
Use 'comenta' (tú) and 'comenten' (ustedes) for direct commands with comentar.
Negative Imperative
yo: no comentes
Negative commands use 'no' plus the present subjunctive, like 'no comentes' (tú) or 'no comenten' (ustedes).