empeorar Imperfect Conjugation
empeorar — to get worse
Use imperfect forms like 'empeoraba' for ongoing or habitual past worsening.
empeorar Imperfect Forms
When to Use the Imperfect
The imperfect tense describes ongoing actions, habitual actions, or background situations in the past. For empeorar, it sets the scene of something gradually worsening or happening repeatedly.
Notes on empeorar in the Imperfect
Empeorar is regular in the imperfect indicative. It follows the standard conjugation pattern for -ar verbs.
Example Sentences
Mi abuela decía que el tiempo empeoraba antes de la lluvia.
My grandmother used to say the weather got worse before the rain.
él/ella/usted
Antes, la contaminación empeoraba mucho en invierno.
Before, the pollution used to get much worse in winter.
él/ella/usted
Mientras estudiaba, mi dolor de cabeza empeoraba.
While I was studying, my headache was getting worse.
yo
Nosotros empeorábamos la situación sin querer.
We used to make the situation worse without meaning to.
nosotros
Common Mistakes
Mistake: Using imperfect for a single completed action.
Correct: For a specific event that happened and finished, use the preterite (e.g., 'empeoró').
Why: The imperfect describes duration or habit, not a single completed event.
Mistake: Confusing imperfect and present tense.
Correct: Use imperfect ('empeoraba') for past habits/ongoing actions, and present ('empeora') for current ones.
Why: These tenses refer to different time frames.
Master Spanish verbs in context
Memorizing tables only gets you so far. Read 200+ illustrated and narrated Spanish stories to see verbs like 'empeorar' used naturally — in the tenses you're learning.
Related Tenses
Present
yo: empeoro
Use present forms like 'empeoro' and 'empeora' for current or habitual worsening.
Preterite
yo: empeoré
Use preterite forms like 'empeoré' and 'empeoró' for completed past actions of worsening.
Future
yo: empeoraré
Use future forms like 'empeoraré' and 'empeorará' to talk about things that will get worse.
Conditional
yo: empeoraría
Use conditional forms like 'empeoraría' for hypothetical situations ('would get worse').
Present Subjunctive
yo: empeore
Use present subjunctive forms like 'empeore' for wishes, doubts, and emotions.
Imperfect Subjunctive
yo: empeorara
Use imperfect subjunctive forms like 'empeorara' or 'empeorase' for past hypotheticals or wishes.
Affirmative Imperative
yo: empeora
Use imperative forms like 'empeora' (tú) and 'empeore' (usted) for direct commands with 'empeorar'.
Negative Imperative
yo: no empeores
Negative commands like 'no empeores' (tú) use the present subjunctive.