fumar Imperfect Conjugation
fumar — to smoke
The imperfect of fumar uses the -aba ending: fumaba, fumabas, fumaba, fumábamos, fumabais, fumaban.
fumar Imperfect Forms
When to Use the Imperfect
Use the imperfect to describe a past habit of smoking or to set the scene (e.g., 'he was smoking when I arrived').
Notes on fumar in the Imperfect
Fumar is regular in the imperfect. Remember to add the accent mark on the 'á' in the nosotros form: fumábamos.
Example Sentences
Cuando era joven, fumaba un paquete al día.
When I was young, I used to smoke a pack a day.
yo
Nosotros fumábamos en el balcón todos los veranos.
We used to smoke on the balcony every summer.
nosotros
Tú fumabas mucho antes de conocer a María.
You used to smoke a lot before meeting Maria.
tú
Common Mistakes
Mistake: fumamos
Correct: fumábamos
Why: Learners often forget the specific -aba- ending used for ongoing or habitual past actions in -ar verbs.
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Related Tenses
Present
yo: fumo
The present tense of fumar is regular: fumo, fumas, fuma, fumamos, fumáis, fuman.
Preterite
yo: fumé
Fumar is regular in the preterite: fumé, fumaste, fumó, fumamos, fumasteis, fumaron.
Future
yo: fumaré
The future of fumar adds endings to the infinitive: fumaré, fumarás, fumará, fumaremos, fumaréis, fumarán.
Conditional
yo: fumaría
The conditional of fumar is regular: fumaría, fumarías, fumaría, fumaríamos, fumaríais, fumarían.
Present Subjunctive
yo: fume
The present subjunctive of fumar swaps the 'a' for 'e': fume, fumes, fume, fumemos, fuméis, fumen.
Imperfect Subjunctive
yo: fumara
The imperfect subjunctive of fumar is based on the 'ellos' preterite: fumara, fumaras, fumara, fumáramos, fumarais, fumaran.
Affirmative Imperative
yo: fuma
The imperative of fumar gives commands: fuma (tú), fume (usted), fumad (vosotros), fumen (ustedes).
Negative Imperative
yo: no fumes
The negative imperative of fumar uses subjunctive forms: no fumes, no fume, no fumemos, no fuméis, no fumen.