despreciar Imperfect Conjugation
despreciar — to look down on
The imperfect of despreciar (despreciaba, despreciabas...) describes ongoing or habitual past actions.
despreciar Imperfect Forms
When to Use the Imperfect
Use the imperfect to describe background settings, habitual actions in the past, or ongoing situations. For example, 'When I was young, I used to look down on certain things' ('Yo despreciaba...').
Notes on despreciar in the Imperfect
Despreciar is regular in the imperfect indicative. All forms are standard.
Example Sentences
Cuando era niño, yo despreciaba las verduras.
When I was a child, I used to look down on vegetables.
yo
¿Tú despreciabas las reglas del juego?
Did you used to look down on the rules of the game?
tú
Él despreciaba la idea de tener que trabajar duro.
He looked down on the idea of having to work hard.
él/ella/usted
Ellos despreciaban la moda pasada.
They looked down on past fashion.
ellos/ellas/ustedes
Common Mistakes
Mistake: Using the preterite ('despreció') for ongoing or habitual past actions.
Correct: For habitual actions, use 'despreciaba', not 'despreció'.
Why: Imperfect describes ongoing/habitual past; preterite describes completed past actions.
Mistake: Confusing 'despreciaba' (yo) and 'despreciaba' (él/ella/usted).
Correct: These forms are identical; context determines the subject.
Why: Spanish often omits subject pronouns when the verb form is unambiguous or context is clear.
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Related Tenses
Present
yo: desprecio
The present tense of despreciar (desprecio, desprecias, desprecia...) describes current actions or habits.
Preterite
yo: desprecié
The preterite of despreciar is regular: desprecié, despreciaste, despreció, despreciamos, despreciasteis, despreciaron.
Future
yo: despreciaré
The future tense of despreciar (despreciaré, despreciarás...) indicates actions that will happen.
Conditional
yo: despreciaría
The conditional of despreciar (despreciaría, despreciarías...) expresses 'would' actions or polite requests.
Present Subjunctive
yo: desprecie
Use 'desprecie' (yo/él/ella/Ud.) and 'desprecien' (ellos/ellas/Uds.) after wishes, doubts, and emotions.
Imperfect Subjunctive
yo: despreciara
The imperfect subjunctive of despreciar (e.g., despreciara, despreciaras) is used for past hypotheticals and wishes.
Affirmative Imperative
yo: desprecia
Use 'desprecia' (tú) and 'desprecien' (ustedes) for direct commands with despreciar.
Negative Imperative
yo: no desprecies
Negative commands for despreciar use the present subjunctive: 'no desprecies', 'no desprecien'.