contemplar Imperfect Conjugation
contemplar — to gaze at
The imperfect of contemplar describes ongoing or habitual past actions: contemplaba, contemplabas, contemplaba, contemplábamos, contemplabais, contemplaban.
contemplar Imperfect Forms
When to Use the Imperfect
Use the imperfect tense to describe ongoing actions in the past, habitual actions, or to set the scene. For example, 'Cuando era niño, contemplaba las nubes' means 'When I was a child, I used to gaze at the clouds'.
Notes on contemplar in the Imperfect
Contemplar is regular in the imperfect tense. It follows the standard conjugation pattern for -ar verbs in the imperfect.
Example Sentences
Yo contemplaba la pintura durante horas.
I used to gaze at the painting for hours.
yo
¿Tú contemplabas el mar desde tu balcón?
Did you used to gaze at the sea from your balcony?
tú
Él contemplaba el fuego en la chimenea.
He was gazing at the fire in the fireplace.
él/ella/usted
Ellos contemplaban el atardecer cada día.
They used to gaze at the sunset every day.
ellos/ellas/ustedes
Common Mistakes
Mistake: Using the preterite for ongoing or habitual past actions.
Correct: For habitual past actions, use 'contemplaba', not 'contempló'.
Why: The imperfect tense is specifically for describing continuous or repeated actions in the past.
Mistake: Confusing the 'vosotros' form.
Correct: The 'vosotros' form is 'contemplabais', not 'contemplaban'.
Why: The '-ais' ending is characteristic of the 'vosotros' imperfect conjugation.
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Related Tenses
Present
yo: contemplo
The present tense of contemplar describes current actions or habits: contemplo, contemplas, contempla, contemplamos, contempláis, contemplan.
Preterite
yo: contemplé
The preterite of contemplar describes completed past actions: contemplé, contemplaste, contempló, contemplamos, contemplasteis, contemplaron.
Future
yo: contemplaré
The future tense of contemplar expresses what will happen: contemplaré, contemplarás, contemplará, contemplaremos, contemplaréis, contemplarán.
Conditional
yo: contemplaría
The conditional of contemplar expresses hypothetical actions or polite requests: contemplaría, contemplarías, contemplaría, contemplaríamos, contemplaríais, contemplarían.
Present Subjunctive
yo: contemple
The present subjunctive of contemplar expresses wishes, doubts, or emotions: contemple, contemples, contemple, contemplemos, contempléis, contemplen.
Imperfect Subjunctive
yo: contemplara
The imperfect subjunctive of contemplar describes past hypothetical situations or wishes: contemplara, contemplaras, contemplara, contempláramos, contemplarais, contemplaran.
Affirmative Imperative
yo: contempla
The imperative of contemplar gives direct commands: ¡contempla!, ¡contemple!, ¡contemplemos!, ¡contemplad!, ¡contemplen!.
Negative Imperative
yo: no contemples
Negative commands for contemplar use the present subjunctive: ¡no contemples!, ¡no contemple!, ¡no contemplemos!, ¡no contempléis!, ¡no contemplen!.