excavar Imperfect Conjugation
excavar — to dig
The imperfect 'excavaba' describes ongoing or habitual digging in the past.
excavar Imperfect Forms
When to Use the Imperfect
Use the imperfect tense to describe actions that were happening continuously in the past, habitual actions in the past, or to set the scene. For example, 'I used to dig a lot as a kid' or 'While he was digging, the phone rang'.
Notes on excavar in the Imperfect
Excavar is regular in the imperfect tense.
Example Sentences
Yo excavaba allí todos los veranos.
I used to dig there every summer.
yo
Tú excavabas cuando te llamé.
You were digging when I called you.
tú
Él excavaba con una pala pequeña.
He was digging with a small shovel.
él/ella/usted
Ellos excavaban para buscar agua.
They were digging to look for water.
ellos/ellas/ustedes
Common Mistakes
Mistake: Using the preterite 'excavó' for a description or ongoing past action.
Correct: For ongoing or habitual past actions, use the imperfect: 'Excavaba'.
Why: The imperfect describes the background or duration of past actions, not their completion.
Mistake: Confusing 'excavábamos' (nosotros) with 'excavamos' (preterite nosotros).
Correct: The imperfect form is 'excavábamos' (with the accent on the 'a'), while the preterite is 'excavamos'.
Why: The accent and the extra 'b' are key differences between the imperfect and preterite forms for 'nosotros'.
Master Spanish verbs in context
Memorizing tables only gets you so far. Read 200+ illustrated and narrated Spanish stories to see verbs like 'excavar' used naturally — in the tenses you're learning.
Related Tenses
Present
yo: excavo
The present tense 'excavo' is used for actions happening now or habitual digging.
Preterite
yo: excavé
The preterite of excavar is regular: excavé, excavaste, excavó, excavamos, excavasteis, excavaron.
Future
yo: excavaré
The future tense 'excavaré' is used for actions that will definitely happen.
Conditional
yo: excavaría
The conditional 'excavaría' is used for hypothetical 'would' scenarios and polite requests.
Present Subjunctive
yo: excave
The present subjunctive 'excave' is used for wishes, doubts, and recommendations.
Imperfect Subjunctive
yo: excavara
The imperfect subjunctive 'excavara' or 'excavase' is used for past hypotheticals, wishes, or doubts.
Affirmative Imperative
yo: excava
Commands like 'excava!' or 'excavemos!' use the imperative, with 'tú' being regular: excava.
Negative Imperative
yo: no excavés
Negative commands like 'no excaves' or 'no excaven' all use the present subjunctive.