desviar Imperfect Conjugation
desviar — to divert
Use imperfect forms like desviaba (yo) or desviaban (ellos/ellas/ustedes) for ongoing or habitual past actions of diverting.
desviar Imperfect Forms
When to Use the Imperfect
The imperfect is used for descriptions, ongoing actions, or habitual actions in the past. You might use it to describe how traffic *used to* be diverted, or how someone *was always* diverting calls.
Notes on desviar in the Imperfect
Desviar is regular in the imperfect tense. All forms follow the standard -ar verb conjugation pattern.
Example Sentences
Cuando era niño, desviaba la atención de mis padres para hacer travesuras.
When I was a child, I used to divert my parents' attention to play pranks.
yo
¿Tú desviabas las llamadas a otra línea?
Were you diverting the calls to another line?
tú
El río desviaba su curso natural después de la tormenta.
The river was diverting its natural course after the storm.
él/ella/usted
Ellos desviaban el tráfico por el centro cada fin de semana.
They used to divert the traffic through downtown every weekend.
ellos/ellas/ustedes
Common Mistakes
Mistake: Using the preterite instead of imperfect: 'Desvió el tráfico cada día' instead of 'Desviaba el tráfico cada día'.
Correct: For habitual past actions, use the imperfect: 'Desviaba el tráfico cada día'.
Why: The imperfect describes repeated or ongoing actions in the past, while the preterite describes single, completed events.
Mistake: Confusing 'desviaba' (imperfect) with 'desviaba' (preterite yo/él/ella/usted).
Correct: The imperfect forms are 'desviaba' (yo, él/ella/usted) and 'desviabas' (tú). The preterite forms are 'desvié' (yo) and 'desviaste' (tú).
Why: This is a common confusion point for -ar verbs where the imperfect yo/él/ella/usted and preterite yo forms look similar without context.
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Related Tenses
Present
yo: desvío
Use present forms like desvío (yo) or desvían (ellos/ellas/ustedes) for actions happening now or habitual actions of diverting.
Preterite
yo: desvié
Use preterite forms like desvié (yo) or desviaron (ellos/ellas/ustedes) for completed past actions of diverting.
Future
yo: desviaré
Use future forms like desviaré (yo) or desviarán (ellos/ellas/ustedes) for actions that will happen in the future.
Conditional
yo: desviaría
Use conditional forms like desviaría (yo) or desviarían (ellos/ellas/ustedes) for hypothetical situations ('would divert') or polite requests.
Present Subjunctive
yo: desvíe
Use present subjunctive forms like desvíe (yo/él/ella/usted) or desvíen (ustedes) after expressions of doubt, desire, or emotion.
Imperfect Subjunctive
yo: desviara
Use imperfect subjunctive forms like desviara or desviase for past hypothetical situations or wishes.
Affirmative Imperative
yo: desvía
Use imperative forms like desvía (tú) or desvíen (ustedes) for direct commands.
Negative Imperative
yo: no desvíes
Use 'no' + present subjunctive forms like no desvíes (tú) or no desvíen (ustedes) for negative commands.