conquistar Imperfect Conjugation
conquistar — to conquer
The imperfect of 'conquistar' (conquistaba, conquistabas, etc.) describes ongoing or habitual past actions and background settings.
conquistar Imperfect Forms
When to Use the Imperfect
Use the imperfect to paint a picture of the past: 'Mientras los soldados conquistaban la ciudad, la gente huía' (While the soldiers were conquering the city, people were fleeing). It's also for repeated actions: 'Mi abuelo conquistaba premios cada año' (My grandfather conquered awards every year).
Notes on conquistar in the Imperfect
Conquistar is regular in the imperfect indicative. All endings follow the standard pattern for -ar verbs.
Example Sentences
Cuando era joven, conquistaba todos los concursos de ajedrez.
When I was young, I used to conquer all the chess tournaments.
yo
Tú conquistabas su atención con facilidad.
You used to win their attention easily.
tú
Los exploradores conquistaban nuevas rutas.
The explorers were conquering new routes.
ellos/ellas/ustedes
Él conquistaba el corazón de todos con su música.
He was winning the heart of everyone with his music.
él/ella/usted
Common Mistakes
Mistake: Using the imperfect for a single completed action in the past.
Correct: For a specific event like 'conquistó la ciudad', use the preterite. The imperfect 'conquistaba' suggests it was ongoing or habitual.
Why: The imperfect describes background or duration, not a finished event.
Mistake: Confusing imperfect and preterite.
Correct: Remember: imperfect for ongoing/habitual past ('conquistaba'), preterite for completed past ('conquistó').
Why: This is a fundamental distinction between the two past tenses.
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Related Tenses
Present
yo: conquisto
The present tense of 'conquistar' (conquisto, conquistas, etc.) describes current actions, habits, or general truths.
Preterite
yo: conquisté
The preterite of 'conquistar' (conquisté, conquistaste, etc.) describes completed actions in the past, like 'conquistó el imperio'.
Future
yo: conquistaré
The future tense of 'conquistar' (conquistaré, conquistarás, etc.) talks about actions that will happen.
Conditional
yo: conquistaría
The conditional of 'conquistar' (conquistaría, conquistarías, etc.) expresses hypothetical actions ('would conquer') or polite requests.
Present Subjunctive
yo: conquiste
The present subjunctive of 'conquistar' (conquiste, conquistes, etc.) is used for wishes, doubts, emotions, and after certain expressions.
Imperfect Subjunctive
yo: conquistara
The imperfect subjunctive of conquistar (conquistara, conquistaras, etc.) expresses hypothetical or unreal past situations.
Affirmative Imperative
yo: conquista
Conquer, let's conquer! Use imperative forms like 'conquista' (tú) and 'conquisten' (ustedes) for direct commands.
Negative Imperative
yo: no conquistes
Don't conquer! Negative commands use the present subjunctive, like 'no conquistes' (tú) and 'no conquisten' (ustedes).