discurrir Imperfect Conjugation

When to Use the Imperfect

Use the imperfect tense for actions that were happening continuously in the past, habitual actions, or to describe background settings. For 'discurrir,' think of a river that used to flow constantly or a period where ideas were always developing.

Notes on discurrir in the Imperfect

'Discurrir' is regular in the imperfect tense. It follows the standard conjugation pattern for -ir verbs.

Example Sentences

• El arroyo discurría perezosamente por el prado.

  The stream used to flow lazily through the meadow.

  él/ella/usted

• Mientras mi abuelo contaba historias, yo discurría en otras cosas.

  While my grandfather told stories, I was thinking about other things.

  yo

• Antes, las aguas del río discurrían mucho más caudalosas.

  Before, the river's waters used to flow much more abundantly.

  ellos/ellas/ustedes

• Cuando éramos niños, discurríamos por ese bosque a menudo.

  When we were children, we used to wander through that forest often.

  nosotros

Common Mistakes

• Mistake: Using the preterite instead of the imperfect for ongoing past actions.

  Correct: Say 'El agua discurría' (it was flowing) to describe the state, not 'El agua discurrió' (it flowed and finished).

  Why: The imperfect describes continuous or habitual actions in the past, setting the scene, while the preterite describes completed actions.

• Mistake: Confusing the imperfect with the present tense.

  Correct: The imperfect 'discurría' describes a past ongoing action, not a present one.

  Why: The endings are different, and the context clearly indicates a past timeframe for the imperfect.

Related Tenses