lamer Imperfect Conjugation
lamer — to lick
The imperfect (lamía, lamías, etc.) describes past habits or ongoing licking actions.
lamer Imperfect Forms
When to Use the Imperfect
Use the imperfect for actions of licking that were habitual in the past ('I used to lick...') or ongoing background actions ('While the dog was licking...'). It sets the scene.
Notes on lamer in the Imperfect
Lamer is regular in the imperfect tense. The endings are standard for -er verbs in this tense.
Example Sentences
Yo lamía los sellos antes de que existiera el pegamento.
I used to lick stamps before glue existed.
yo
¿Tú lamías el azúcar de tus dedos?
Did you used to lick the sugar off your fingers?
tú
El bebé lamía el chupete todo el tiempo.
The baby was licking the pacifier all the time.
él/ella/usted
Nosotros lamíamos la pintura de la pared cuando éramos niños.
We used to lick the paint off the wall when we were kids.
nosotros
Ellos lamían sus heridas después de la pelea.
They were licking their wounds after the fight.
ellos/ellas/ustedes
Common Mistakes
Mistake: Using the preterite instead of the imperfect for habitual past actions, e.g., 'Yo lamí los sellos todos los días'.
Correct: For repeated or habitual past actions, use the imperfect: 'Yo lamía los sellos todos los días'.
Why: The imperfect describes ongoing or repeated actions in the past, setting a scene or describing habits.
Mistake: Confusing the imperfect 'lamía' (yo/él/ella/usted) with the present 'lamo' (yo).
Correct: Remember 'lamía' is past continuous/habitual, and 'lamo' is present simple.
Why: These forms look and sound different and refer to different time frames.
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Related Tenses
Present
yo: lamo
The present indicative (lamo, lames, lame, etc.) describes current or habitual licking.
Preterite
yo: lamí
The preterite of lamer (lamí, lamiste, lamió, etc.) describes completed licking actions in the past.
Future
yo: lameré
The future tense (lameré, lamerás, etc.) indicates licking actions that will happen.
Conditional
yo: lamería
The conditional (lamería, lamerías, etc.) expresses 'would' licking, polite requests, or future-in-the-past.
Present Subjunctive
yo: lama
The present subjunctive (lama, lamas, etc.) is used for wishes, doubts, and emotions.
Imperfect Subjunctive
yo: lamiera
The imperfect subjunctive forms (lamiera, lamieras, etc.) express hypothetical or past subjunctive actions.
Affirmative Imperative
yo: lame
Lame, lamad, lama, lamamos, laman are commands for 'lick'.
Negative Imperative
yo: no lamas
No lamas, no lamáis, no lama, no lamamos, no laman are negative commands for 'lick'.