ensuciar Imperfect Conjugation
ensuciar — to dirty
The imperfect of 'ensuciar' is regular: ensuciaba, ensuciabas, ensuciaba, ensuciábamos, ensuciabais, ensuciaban.
ensuciar Imperfect Forms
When to Use the Imperfect
Use the imperfect tense for ongoing actions in the past, habitual actions, or to describe the background setting. It paints a picture of what 'used to happen' or 'was happening'.
Notes on ensuciar in the Imperfect
'Ensuciar' is regular in the imperfect tense. All forms follow the standard -ar verb conjugation pattern.
Example Sentences
Cuando era niño, yo siempre ensuciaba mi ropa.
When I was a child, I always used to dirty my clothes.
yo
Tú ensuciabas el suelo cada vez que entrabas.
You used to dirty the floor every time you came in.
tú
Los perros ensuciaban el jardín con sus juegos.
The dogs were dirtying the garden with their games.
ellos/ellas/ustedes
Mi abuela decía que yo ensuciaba mucho mientras comía.
My grandmother used to say I dirtied a lot while eating.
yo
Common Mistakes
Mistake: Using the preterite for habitual past actions.
Correct: For 'I used to dirty my clothes', use 'ensuciaba', not 'ensucié'.
Why: The imperfect describes ongoing or repeated actions in the past, not single completed events.
Mistake: Confusing the imperfect with the present tense.
Correct: Ensure the verb ending reflects past action, e.g., 'ensuciaba' not 'ensucia'.
Why: The imperfect tense specifically refers to past situations.
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Related Tenses
Present
yo: ensucio
The present tense of 'ensuciar' is regular: ensucio, ensucias, ensucia, ensuciamos, ensuciáis, ensucian.
Preterite
yo: ensucié
The preterite of 'ensuciar' is regular: ensucié, ensuciaste, ensució, ensuciamos, ensuciasteis, ensuciaron.
Future
yo: ensuciaré
The future tense of 'ensuciar' is regular: ensuciaré, ensuciarás, ensuciará, ensuciaremos, ensuciaréis, ensuciarán.
Conditional
yo: ensuciaría
The conditional of 'ensuciar' is regular: ensuciaría, ensuciarías, ensuciaría, ensuciaríamos, ensuciaríais, ensuciarían.
Present Subjunctive
yo: ensucie
The present subjunctive of 'ensuciar' is: ensucie (yo/usted), ensucies (tú), ensuciemos (nosotros), ensuciéis (vosotros), ensucien (ellos/ustedes).
Imperfect Subjunctive
yo: ensuciara
The imperfect subjunctive of 'ensuciar' has two forms for each person, like ensuciara/ensuciara and ensuciarais/ensuciarais.
Affirmative Imperative
yo: ensucia
Affirmative commands for 'ensuciar' are: ensucia (tú), ensucie (usted), ensuciemos (nosotros), ensucien (ustedes), ensuciad (vosotros).
Negative Imperative
yo: no ensucies
Negative commands for 'ensuciar' use the present subjunctive: no ensucies (tú), no ensucie (usted), no ensuciemos (nosotros), no ensucien (ustedes), no ensuciéis (vosotros).