describir Imperfect Conjugation
describir — to describe
The imperfect uses the -ía endings: describía, describías, describía, describíamos, describíais, describían.
describir Imperfect Forms
When to Use the Imperfect
Use this for ongoing past descriptions, like setting the scene in a story or describing what someone used to look like.
Notes on describir in the Imperfect
Describir is regular in the imperfect. Every single form has an accent on the 'í'.
Example Sentences
De niño, yo describía mis sueños a mi madre.
As a child, I used to describe my dreams to my mother.
yo
El libro describía un mundo fantástico.
The book described (was describing) a fantastic world.
él/ella/usted
Nosotros describíamos el paisaje mientras caminábamos.
We were describing the landscape while we were walking.
nosotros
Common Mistakes
Mistake: Forgetting the accent on the 'i' (describia).
Correct: describía
Why: All -ir verbs in the imperfect require an accent on the 'i' to maintain the correct vowel sound and tense identification.
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Related Tenses
Present
yo: describo
The present tense is regular: describo, describes, describe, describimos, describís, describen.
Preterite
yo: describí
The preterite of describir is fully regular: describí, describiste, describió, describimos, describisteis, describieron.
Future
yo: describiré
Form the future by adding -é, -ás, -á, -emos, -éis, -án to the full infinitive: describiré.
Conditional
yo: describiría
Add -ía endings to the full infinitive: describiría, describirías, describiría, describiríamos, describiríais, describirían.
Present Subjunctive
yo: describa
The present subjunctive uses 'a' endings: describa, describas, describa, describamos, describáis, describan.
Imperfect Subjunctive
yo: describiera
Based on the 'ellos' preterite: describiera, describieras, describiera, describiéramos, describierais, describieran.
Affirmative Imperative
yo: describe
Give commands: describe (tú), describa (usted), describid (vosotros), describan (ustedes).
Negative Imperative
yo: no describas
Negative commands use the subjunctive: no describas, no describa, no describamos, no describáis, no describan.