demorar Imperfect Conjugation
demorar — to delay
The imperfect of demorar is regular: demoraba, demorabas, demoraba, demorábamos, demorabais, demoraban.
demorar Imperfect Forms
When to Use the Imperfect
Use the imperfect of demorar to describe ongoing delays in the past, habitual delays, or to set the scene where delays were happening. For example, 'The buses were always delayed' or 'He used to delay me every day'.
Notes on demorar in the Imperfect
Demorar is regular in the imperfect tense, following the standard pattern for -ar verbs.
Example Sentences
El autobús se demoraba casi siempre.
The bus was almost always delayed.
él/ella/usted
Me demoraba mucho en llegar a casa cuando vivía allí.
I used to take a long time getting home when I lived there.
yo
Tú te demorabas esperando el transporte público.
You used to take a long time waiting for public transport.
tú
Ellos se demoraban en sus tareas escolares.
They used to delay in their school tasks.
ellos/ellas/ustedes
Common Mistakes
Mistake: Using the preterite instead of the imperfect for ongoing or habitual past delays: 'El autobús demoró siempre'.
Correct: For habitual or ongoing past delays, use the imperfect: 'El autobús se demoraba siempre'.
Why: The imperfect describes actions that were continuous or repeated in the past, without a specific end point, fitting for background descriptions or habits.
Mistake: Confusing 'demoraba' (was delaying/used to delay) with 'demoró' (delayed - completed action).
Correct: Remember that 'demoraba' implies duration or habit in the past, while 'demoró' refers to a single, finished event.
Why: The choice between imperfect and preterite is crucial for conveying whether a past action was ongoing/habitual or completed.
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Related Tenses
Present
yo: demoro
The present tense of demorar is regular: demoro, demoras, demora, demoramos, demoráis, demoran.
Preterite
yo: demoré
The preterite of demorar is regular: demoré, demoraste, demoró, demoramos, demorasteis, demoraron.
Future
yo: demoraré
The future tense of demorar is regular: demoraré, demorarás, demorará, demoraremos, demoraréis, demorarán.
Conditional
yo: demoraría
The conditional of demorar is regular: demoraría, demorarías, demoraría, demoraríamos, demoraríais, demorarían.
Present Subjunctive
yo: demore
The present subjunctive of demorar expresses wishes, doubts, or uncertainty about present/future delays: demore, demores, demoremos, demoren.
Imperfect Subjunctive
yo: demorara
The imperfect subjunctive of demorar (demorara/demorase) expresses past hypotheticals or wishes.
Affirmative Imperative
yo: demora
The imperative of demorar is irregular in the tú form: demora, demore, demoremos, demorad, demoren.
Negative Imperative
yo: no demores
Negative commands for demorar use the present subjunctive: no demores, no demore, no demoremos, no demoréis, no demoren.