
diagnosticar Imperfect Conjugation
diagnosticar — to diagnose
The imperfect is regular: diagnosticaba, diagnosticabas, diagnosticaba, diagnosticábamos, diagnosticabais, diagnosticaban.
diagnosticar Imperfect Forms
When to Use the Imperfect
Use this for ongoing processes of diagnosis in the past or to describe a doctor's habitual diagnostic routine.
Notes on diagnosticar in the Imperfect
Diagnosticar follows the standard -aba pattern for -ar verbs in the imperfect.
Example Sentences
Antes, los médicos diagnosticaban sin estas máquinas.
Before, doctors used to diagnose without these machines.
ellos/ellas/ustedes
Yo diagnosticaba la avería cuando se fue la luz.
I was diagnosing the breakdown when the power went out.
yo
Mi abuelo siempre diagnosticaba bien los problemas del jardín.
My grandfather always diagnosed garden problems well.
él/ella/usted
Common Mistakes
Mistake: diagnosticabamos
Correct: diagnosticábamos
Why: The 'nosotros' form of the imperfect always requires an accent on the first 'a' of the ending.
Master Spanish verbs in context
Memorizing tables only gets you so far. Read 200+ illustrated and narrated Spanish stories to see verbs like 'diagnosticar' used naturally — in the tenses you're learning.
Related Tenses
Present
yo: diagnostico
The present tense is completely regular: diagnostico, diagnosticas, diagnostica, diagnosticamos, diagnosticáis, diagnostican.
Preterite
yo: diagnostiqué
Diagnosticar is regular except for the 'yo' form, which changes to diagnostiqué.
Future
yo: diagnosticaré
The future tense is regular: add endings to the infinitive (diagnosticaré, diagnosticarás, etc.).
Conditional
yo: diagnosticaría
The conditional is regular: add -ía endings to the infinitive (diagnosticaría, diagnosticarías, etc.).
Present Subjunctive
yo: diagnostique
Diagnosticar requires a spelling change from 'c' to 'qu' in all forms: diagnostique, diagnostiques, diagnostique, etc.
Imperfect Subjunctive
yo: diagnosticara
The imperfect subjunctive follows the -ra pattern: diagnosticara, diagnosticaras, diagnosticara, etc.
Affirmative Imperative
yo: diagnostica
The imperative uses 'diagnostica' (tú) and 'diagnostique' (usted/ustedes).
Negative Imperative
yo: no diagnostiques
The negative imperative always uses the present subjunctive forms: no diagnostiques, no diagnostique, etc.