flotar Imperfect Conjugation
flotar — to float
The imperfect of flotar (flotaba, flotabas, etc.) describes ongoing or habitual floating in the past.
flotar Imperfect Forms
When to Use the Imperfect
Use the imperfect tense for actions that were happening continuously in the past, or things that used to happen regularly. For example, 'Cuando era niño, flotaba en el mar todos los veranos' (When I was a child, I used to float in the sea every summer) or 'El leño flotaba lentamente por el río' (The log was floating slowly down the river).
Notes on flotar in the Imperfect
Flotar is regular in the imperfect tense. The endings -aba, -abas, -aba, -ábamos, -abais, -aban are standard for -ar verbs.
Example Sentences
Yo flotaba en el lago mientras mis amigos nadaban.
I was floating on the lake while my friends swam.
yo
Ella flotaba en una colchoneta inflable.
She was floating on an inflatable mattress.
él/ella/usted
Tú flotabas en la piscina cuando te llamé.
You were floating in the pool when I called you.
tú
Los cisnes flotaban majestuosamente.
The swans were floating majestically.
ellos/ellas/ustedes
Common Mistakes
Mistake: Using the preterite for ongoing past actions.
Correct: For descriptions or continuous actions in the past, use imperfect: 'El barco flotaba' (The boat was floating).
Why: The imperfect describes the background or ongoing nature of past events, not completed ones.
Mistake: Confusing 'flotaba' (yo/él/ella/usted) with 'flotábamos' (nosotros).
Correct: Remember the '-mos' ending for 'nosotros': 'Nosotros flotábamos'.
Why: The endings clearly distinguish between different subjects.
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Related Tenses
Present
yo: floto
The present tense of flotar (floto, flotas, etc.) describes current actions or general truths about floating.
Preterite
yo: floté
The preterite of flotar (floté, flotaste, etc.) describes completed actions of floating in the past.
Future
yo: flotaré
The future tense of flotar (flotaré, flotarás, etc.) indicates actions that will happen.
Conditional
yo: flotaría
The conditional of flotar (flotaría, flotarías, etc.) is used for hypotheticals ('would') and polite requests.
Present Subjunctive
yo: flote
The present subjunctive of flotar (flote, flotes, etc.) is used after expressions of doubt, desire, or emotion.
Imperfect Subjunctive
yo: flotara
The imperfect subjunctive of flotar (flotara/flotase) is used for past hypotheticals or wishes.
Affirmative Imperative
yo: flota
Use the imperative of flotar for direct commands like 'flota' (tú) or 'floten' (ustedes).
Negative Imperative
yo: no flotes
Use 'no' + present subjunctive for negative commands, like 'no flotes' (tú) or 'no floten' (ustedes).