complicar Imperfect Conjugation
complicar — to complicate
The imperfect tense of complicar is regular: complicaba, complicabas, complicaba, complicábamos, complicabais, complicaban.
complicar Imperfect Forms
When to Use the Imperfect
Use the imperfect of 'complicar' to describe ongoing situations in the past where something was making things difficult, or habitual actions of complicating things. It sets the background scene, like 'He was complicating the meeting' or 'She always complicated our plans.'
Notes on complicar in the Imperfect
Complicar is a regular -ar verb and conjugates regularly in the imperfect indicative tense.
Example Sentences
Yo complicaba las cosas sin darme cuenta.
I used to complicate things without realizing it.
yo
Tú complicabas el trabajo de todos con tus quejas.
You were complicating everyone's work with your complaints.
tú
El tráfico complicaba llegar a tiempo a la oficina.
The traffic made it difficult to arrive at the office on time.
él/ella/usted
Ellos complicaban la tarea con excusas.
They used to complicate the task with excuses.
ellos/ellas/ustedes
Common Mistakes
Mistake: Using the preterite 'complicó' for an ongoing or habitual past situation.
Correct: Use 'complicaba' for ongoing or repeated actions in the past.
Why: The imperfect describes the background or duration of past events, not completed actions like the preterite.
Mistake: Forgetting the double 'b' in 'complicábamos' and 'complicabais'.
Correct: The correct forms are 'complicábamos' and 'complicabais'.
Why: The imperfect tense for -ar verbs consistently uses '-aba-' or '-aban-' for the stem.
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Related Tenses
Present
yo: complico
The present tense of complicar is regular: complico, complicas, complica, complicamos, complicáis, complican.
Preterite
yo: compliqué
The preterite of complicar is regular: compliqué, complicaste, complicó, complicamos, complicasteis, complicaron.
Future
yo: complicaré
The future tense of complicar is regular: complicaré, complicarás, complicará, complicaremos, complicaréis, complicarán.
Conditional
yo: complicaría
The conditional tense of complicar is regular: complicaría, complicarías, complicaría, complicaríamos, complicaríais, complicarían.
Present Subjunctive
yo: complique
The present subjunctive of complicar (complique, compliques, compliquemos, compliquen) is used after expressions of doubt, desire, emotion, or uncertainty.
Imperfect Subjunctive
yo: complicara
The imperfect subjunctive of complicar (complicara/complicase) is used for past hypotheticals, wishes, or doubts.
Affirmative Imperative
yo: complica
The imperative of complicar has regular commands for tú (complica) and vosotros (complicad), but requires a spelling change for the other forms (complique, compliquemos, compliquen).
Negative Imperative
yo: no compliques
Negative commands for complicar use the present subjunctive: no compliques, no complique, no compliquemos, no compliquen, no compliquéis.