copiar Imperfect Conjugation
copiar — to copy
The imperfect of copiar is regular: copiaba, copiabas, copiaba, copiábamos, copiabais, copiaban.
copiar Imperfect Forms
When to Use the Imperfect
Use the imperfect to describe habitual or ongoing actions of copying in the past, or to set the scene. For example, 'He used to copy his friend's homework' or 'While I was copying the text, the computer crashed'.
Notes on copiar in the Imperfect
Copiar is regular in the imperfect tense.
Example Sentences
Yo copiaba los ejercicios de mi hermano mayor.
I used to copy my older brother's exercises.
yo
Tú copiabas las lecciones en clase todos los días.
You used to copy the lessons in class every day.
tú
Él copiaba los apuntes mientras el profesor hablaba.
He was copying the notes while the teacher was talking.
él/ella/usted
Nosotros copiábamos los resultados en la tabla.
We were copying the results into the table.
nosotros
Common Mistakes
Mistake: Using the imperfect for a single, completed past action.
Correct: Use the preterite 'copió' for 'He copied it once', not 'copiaba'.
Why: The imperfect describes ongoing or habitual past actions, not discrete completed events.
Mistake: Confusing 'copiaba' (yo) with 'copiaba' (él/ella/usted).
Correct: These forms are identical; context or subject pronouns are needed to clarify who was copying.
Why: The lack of unique endings for yo and él/ella/usted requires careful attention to the surrounding sentence.
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Related Tenses
Present
yo: copio
The present tense of copiar is regular: copio, copias, copia, copiamos, copiáis, copian.
Preterite
yo: copié
The preterite of copiar is regular: copié, copiaste, copió, copiamos, copiasteis, copiaron.
Future
yo: copiaré
The future of copiar is regular: copiaré, copiarás, copiará, copiaremos, copiaréis, copiarán.
Conditional
yo: copiaría
The conditional of copiar is regular: copiaría, copiarías, copiaría, copiaríamos, copiaríais, copiarían.
Present Subjunctive
yo: copie
The present subjunctive of copiar (copie, copies, copiemos, copien, copiéis) is used for wishes, doubts, and emotions.
Imperfect Subjunctive
yo: copiara
The imperfect subjunctive of copiar (copiara/copiase) is used for past hypotheticals, wishes, and doubts.
Affirmative Imperative
yo: copia
The imperative of copiar is irregular for tú (copia) but regular for others: copiemos, copien, copiad, copie.
Negative Imperative
yo: no copies
Negative commands for copiar use the present subjunctive: no copies, no copie, no copiemos, no copien, no copiéis.