descontar Imperfect Conjugation
descontar — to deduct
Descontar is regular in the imperfect: descontaba, descontabas, descontaba...
descontar Imperfect Forms
When to Use the Imperfect
Use this to describe a past habit, such as a company that used to deduct insurance every month, or background info.
Notes on descontar in the Imperfect
This tense is completely regular. Just add the -aba endings to the stem 'descont-'.
Example Sentences
Antes, nos descontaban el almuerzo del sueldo.
Before, they used to deduct lunch from our salary.
ellos/ellas/ustedes
Yo siempre descontaba los artículos dañados.
I always used to deduct the damaged items.
yo
La tienda descontaba un 10% cada lunes.
The store would deduct 10% every Monday.
él/ella/usted
Common Mistakes
Mistake: Confusing 'descontaba' with the preterite 'descontó'.
Correct: descontaba
Why: Use the imperfect for ongoing or habitual past actions, not one-time events.
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Related Tenses
Present
yo: descuento
Descontar has an o-ue stem change in all forms except nosotros and vosotros.
Preterite
yo: desconté
Descontar is completely regular in the preterite: desconté, descontaste, descontó...
Future
yo: descontaré
Descontar is regular in the future: descontaré, descontarás, descontará...
Conditional
yo: descontaría
Descontar is regular in the conditional: descontaría, descontarías, descontaría...
Present Subjunctive
yo: descuente
The present subjunctive follows the o-ue change: descuente, descuentes, descuente...
Imperfect Subjunctive
yo: descontara
Uses the preterite stem 'descontar-' plus -ara: descontara, descontaras...
Affirmative Imperative
yo: descuenta
Commands for descontar: descuenta (tú), descuente (usted), descontad (vosotros).
Negative Imperative
yo: no descuentes
Negative commands use 'no' + present subjunctive: no descuentes, no descuente...