decorar Imperfect Conjugation
decorar — to decorate
Use 'decoraba' (yo/él/ella/usted) and 'decoraban' (ellos/ellas/ustedes) for ongoing or habitual decorating in the past.
decorar Imperfect Forms
When to Use the Imperfect
This tense is perfect for setting the scene in the past or describing repeated actions. Think 'When I was little, I always decorated my room with posters' or 'She was decorating the cake when the phone rang.'
Notes on decorar in the Imperfect
Decorar is a regular -ar verb in the imperfect tense. All conjugations follow the standard pattern.
Example Sentences
Yo decoraba mi cuarto con dibujos.
I used to decorate my room with drawings.
yo
¿Tú decorabas la casa para Navidad?
Did you used to decorate the house for Christmas?
tú
Él decoraba el árbol cada diciembre.
He decorated the tree every December.
él/ella/usted
Nosotros decorábamos la mesa para las visitas.
We used to decorate the table for visitors.
nosotros
Ellos decoraban la iglesia para la misa.
They decorated the church for mass.
ellos/ellas/ustedes
Common Mistakes
Mistake: Using the preterite instead of the imperfect.
Correct: Use 'decoraba' for ongoing or habitual past decorating, not 'decoró'.
Why: The imperfect describes background or repeated actions ('was decorating', 'used to decorate'), while the preterite describes a completed event ('decorated').
Mistake: Confusing the imperfect with the present tense.
Correct: Ensure you use the correct past tense endings like '-aba' or '-ábamos', not '-o' or '-amos'.
Why: The imperfect tense is specifically for past actions, not current ones.
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Related Tenses
Present
yo: decoro
Use 'decoro' (yo) and 'decoran' (ellos/ellas/ustedes) for current, habitual, or general decorating actions.
Preterite
yo: decoré
Use 'decoré' (yo) and 'decoró' (él/ella/usted) for completed actions of decorating in the past.
Future
yo: decoraré
Use 'decoraré' (yo) and 'decorarán' (ellos/ellas/ustedes) for actions that will happen in the future.
Conditional
yo: decoraría
Use 'decoraría' (yo/él/ella/usted) and 'decorarían' (ellos/ellas/ustedes) for hypothetical situations ('would decorate').
Present Subjunctive
yo: decore
Use 'decore' (yo/él/ella/usted) and 'decoren' (ellos/ellas/ustedes) after expressions of doubt, desire, or emotion.
Imperfect Subjunctive
yo: decorara
Use 'decorara' or 'decorase' for past hypothetical situations or wishes.
Affirmative Imperative
yo: decora
Use 'decora' (tú) and 'decoren' (ustedes) for direct commands to decorate.
Negative Imperative
yo: no decores
Use 'no decores' (tú) and 'no decoren' (ustedes) for negative commands.