Inklingo
A gentle stream of steam rising from a hot cup of tea.

emanar Imperfect Conjugation

emanarto emanate

B2regular -ar★★★
Quick answer:

The imperfect 'emanaba' describes ongoing or habitual past actions, or sets the background scene.

emanar Imperfect Forms

yoemanaba
emanabas
él/ella/ustedemanaba
nosotrosemanábamos
vosotrosemanabais
ellos/ellas/ustedesemanaban

When to Use the Imperfect

Use the imperfect for actions that were happening continuously in the past, habitual actions, or to describe background details. For 'emanar,' it means something was consistently emitting or giving off qualities over a period.

Notes on emanar in the Imperfect

Emanar is regular in the imperfect indicative.

Example Sentences

  • La chimenea emanaba humo constantemente.

    The chimney was constantly emanating smoke.

    él/ella/usted

  • Cuando era joven, emanaba mucha energía.

    When I was young, I used to emanate a lot of energy.

    yo

  • El viejo libro emanaba un olor a polvo.

    The old book emanated a smell of dust.

    él/ella/usted

  • Ellos emanaban confianza en cada paso.

    They were emanating confidence with every step.

    ellos/ellas/ustedes

Common Mistakes

  • Mistake: Using the preterite 'emanó' for descriptions or ongoing past actions.

    Correct: Use 'emanaba' for background descriptions or habitual past actions, like 'La casa emanaba misterio'.

    Why: The imperfect sets the scene or describes duration, while the preterite indicates a completed event.

  • Mistake: Confusing the 'yo' and 'él/ella/usted' forms.

    Correct: Both 'emanaba' (yo) and 'emanaba' (él/ella/usted) are the same. Context clarifies the subject.

    Why: This is a common feature of the imperfect tense for -ar verbs, where yo and él/ella/usted forms are identical.

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