investigar Imperfect Conjugation
investigar — to investigate
Investigar is regular in the imperfect: investigaba, investigabas, investigaba...
investigar Imperfect Forms
When to Use the Imperfect
Use the imperfect for ongoing past investigations with no specific end, or to describe what you 'used to' research.
Notes on investigar in the Imperfect
This verb is completely regular in the imperfect tense.
Example Sentences
Antes investigaba crímenes reales.
I used to investigate true crimes.
yo
Ellos investigaban el mercado cuando llegué.
They were researching the market when I arrived.
ellos/ellas/ustedes
Mi abuelo investigaba las estrellas.
My grandfather used to study the stars.
él/ella/usted
Common Mistakes
Mistake: investigabamos
Correct: investigábamos
Why: The nosotros form of -ar verbs in the imperfect always requires an accent on the first 'a' of the ending.
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Related Tenses
Present
yo: investigo
Investigar is a regular -ar verb in the present indicative: investigo, investigas, investiga...
Preterite
yo: investigué
Investigar has a spelling change in the 'yo' form (investigué) to keep the hard 'g' sound.
Future
yo: investigaré
The future tense uses the full infinitive 'investigar' plus endings: investigaré, investigarás...
Conditional
yo: investigaría
The conditional adds endings to the infinitive: investigaría, investigarías, investigaría...
Present Subjunctive
yo: investigue
The present subjunctive uses a 'gu' spelling change: investigue, investigues, investigue...
Imperfect Subjunctive
yo: investigara
Formed from the 'ellos' preterite: investigara, investigaras, investigara...
Affirmative Imperative
yo: investiga
Give commands: investiga (tú), investigue (usted), investiguemos (nosotros).
Negative Imperative
yo: no investigues
Negative commands use 'no' + present subjunctive: no investigues, no investigue...