desear Imperfect Conjugation
desear — to wish
The imperfect of desear follows the standard -aba pattern: deseaba, deseabas, deseaba, deseábamos, deseabais, deseaban.
desear Imperfect Forms
When to Use the Imperfect
Use the imperfect for ongoing desires in the past or to describe a state of mind. It's used when you 'used to wish' for something over a long period.
Notes on desear in the Imperfect
Desear is regular in the imperfect. Remember that the 'nosotros' form always requires an accent on the first 'a' of the ending.
Example Sentences
De niña, yo deseaba ser astronauta.
As a child, I used to wish to be an astronaut.
yo
Ustedes deseaban comprar esa casa el año pasado.
You all were wishing to buy that house last year.
ellos/ellas/ustedes
Tú siempre deseabas lo que tenían los demás.
You always wished for what others had.
tú
Common Mistakes
Mistake: Confusing deseaba (yo) with deseaba (él/ella).
Correct: Use context or a pronoun.
Why: The first and third person singular forms are identical in the imperfect.
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Related Tenses
Present
yo: deseo
The present tense of desear is regular: deseo, deseas, desea, deseamos, deseáis, desean.
Preterite
yo: deseé
The preterite of desear is regular: deseé, deseaste, deseó, deseamos, deseasteis, desearon.
Future
yo: desearé
The future of desear uses the infinitive plus endings: desearé, desearás, deseará, desearemos, desearéis, desearán.
Conditional
yo: desearía
The conditional of desear is formed by adding -ía endings to the infinitive: desearía, desearías, desearía, etc.
Present Subjunctive
yo: desee
The present subjunctive of desear changes the 'a' to 'e': desee, desees, desee, deseemos, deseéis, deseen.
Imperfect Subjunctive
yo: deseara
The imperfect subjunctive of desear uses the -ara endings: deseara, desearas, deseara, deseáramos, desearais, desearan.
Affirmative Imperative
yo: desea
The imperative of desear is used for commands: desea (tú), desead (vosotros), or desee/deseen (formal).
Negative Imperative
yo: no desees
The negative imperative of desear uses 'no' plus the present subjunctive forms: no desees, no desee, etc.