explicar Imperfect Conjugation
explicar — to explain
The imperfect of explicar is regular: explicaba, explicabas, explicaba, explicábamos, explicabais, explicaban.
explicar Imperfect Forms
When to Use the Imperfect
Use this to describe how you used to explain things in the past or to set the scene: 'I was explaining the lesson when the phone rang.'
Notes on explicar in the Imperfect
Explicar follows the standard -aba pattern for -ar verbs in the imperfect.
Example Sentences
Antes, yo explicaba matemáticas en la universidad.
Before, I used to explain math at the university.
yo
Ella explicaba el cuento mientras los niños escuchaban.
She was explaining the story while the children listened.
él/ella/usted
Siempre nos explicabais las mismas historias.
You guys always used to explain the same stories to us.
vosotros
Common Mistakes
Mistake: Forgetting the accent on the nosotros form: explicabamos.
Correct: explicábamos
Why: The 'nosotros' form of all -ar verbs in the imperfect requires an accent on the first 'a' of the ending.
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Related Tenses
Present
yo: explico
The present tense of explicar is regular: explico, explicas, explica, explicamos, explicáis, explican.
Preterite
yo: expliqué
The preterite of explicar has a spelling change only in the 'yo' form: expliqué.
Future
yo: explicaré
The future tense of explicar is fully regular: explicaré, explicarás, explicará, explicaremos, explicaréis, explicarán.
Conditional
yo: explicaría
The conditional of explicar is regular: explicaría, explicarías, explicaría, explicaríamos, explicaríais, explicarían.
Present Subjunctive
yo: explique
The present subjunctive of explicar features a 'c' to 'qu' spelling change: explique, expliques, explique, expliquemos, expliquéis, expliquen.
Imperfect Subjunctive
yo: explicara
The imperfect subjunctive of explicar is regular: explicara, explicaras, explicara, explicáramos, explicarais, explicaran.
Affirmative Imperative
yo: explica
The affirmative imperative of explicar uses 'explica' (tú) and 'explique' (usted).
Negative Imperative
yo: no expliques
The negative imperative of explicar always uses the 'qu' spelling change: no expliques, no explique, no expliquen.