ganarse Imperfect Conjugation
ganarse — to earn
Use imperfect forms like 'me ganaba' for ongoing or habitual past earning.
ganarse Imperfect Forms
When to Use the Imperfect
The imperfect tense describes ongoing or habitual actions in the past, or sets the scene. With 'ganarse', it paints a picture of past earning habits, like 'Cuando era joven, me ganaba poco dinero' (When I was young, I used to earn little money) or describing a situation where earning was happening.
Notes on ganarse in the Imperfect
'Ganarse' is regular in the imperfect tense. It follows the standard conjugation pattern for -ar verbs.
Example Sentences
Yo me ganaba la vida como camarero.
I used to earn my living as a waiter.
yo
¿Te ganabas mucho dinero entonces?
Did you earn a lot of money back then?
tú
Ella se ganaba la confianza de los clientes poco a poco.
She was earning the clients' trust little by little.
él/ella/usted
Ellos se ganaban el pan trabajando en el campo.
They earned their living working in the fields.
ellos/ellas/ustedes
Common Mistakes
Mistake: Using the preterite instead of the imperfect for a description or habit.
Correct: For past habits or ongoing actions, use the imperfect: 'Me ganaba la vida'.
Why: The preterite ('me gané') implies a single, completed action, while the imperfect ('me ganaba') describes a state or repeated action over time.
Mistake: Forgetting the reflexive pronoun.
Correct: Always include the reflexive pronoun: 'se ganaba', 'nos ganábamos'.
Why: 'Ganarse' is a reflexive verb; the pronoun is needed to show the subject is earning for themselves.
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Related Tenses
Present
yo: me gano
Use present tense forms like 'me gano' for habitual actions or things you earn now.
Preterite
yo: me gané
Use preterite forms like 'me gané' for completed past actions of earning.
Future
yo: me ganaré
Use future forms like 'me ganaré' for actions that will happen or probabilities.
Conditional
yo: me ganaría
Use conditional forms like 'me ganaría' for hypothetical earning ('would earn').
Present Subjunctive
yo: me gane
Use present subjunctive forms like 'me gane' after expressions of doubt, desire, or emotion with 'ganarse'.
Imperfect Subjunctive
yo: me ganara
Use imperfect subjunctive forms like 'me ganara' for past hypotheticals or wishes with 'ganarse'.
Affirmative Imperative
yo: gánate
Use imperative forms like 'gánate' (earn it!) for direct commands with 'ganarse'.
Negative Imperative
yo: no te ganes
Use 'no te ganes' and similar forms for negative commands with 'ganarse'.