pensar Imperfect Conjugation
pensar — to think
The imperfect of pensar is regular: pensaba, pensabas, pensaba, pensábamos, pensabais, pensaban.
pensar Imperfect Forms
When to Use the Imperfect
Use the imperfect to describe ongoing thoughts in the past, background mental states, or what you 'used to' think.
Notes on pensar in the Imperfect
Pensar is a regular -ar verb in the imperfect. No stem changes occur here.
Example Sentences
Yo pensaba que la fiesta era hoy.
I thought (was under the impression) that the party was today.
yo
Antes pensábamos de forma diferente.
Before, we used to think differently.
nosotros
Ella pensaba mucho en su familia.
She used to think about her family a lot.
él/ella/usted
Common Mistakes
Mistake: Forgetting the accent on 'pensábamos'.
Correct: pensábamos
Why: All 'nosotros' forms in the imperfect indicative for -ar verbs require an accent on the antepenultimate syllable.
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Related Tenses
Present
yo: pienso
Pensar is a stem-changing verb (e > ie) in all forms except nosotros and vosotros.
Preterite
yo: pensé
The preterite of pensar is regular: pensé, pensaste, pensó, pensamos, pensasteis, pensaron.
Future
yo: pensaré
The future of pensar is regular: pensaré, pensarás, pensará, pensaremos, pensaréis, pensarán.
Conditional
yo: pensaría
The conditional of pensar is regular: pensaría, pensarías, pensaría, pensaríamos, pensaríais, pensarían.
Present Subjunctive
yo: piense
The present subjunctive of pensar follows the e > ie stem change: piense, pienses, piense, pensemos, penséis, piensen.
Imperfect Subjunctive
yo: pensara
The imperfect subjunctive of pensar is based on the preterite: pensara, pensaras, pensara, pensáramos, pensarais, pensaran.
Affirmative Imperative
yo: piensa
The imperative uses the 'ie' stem for most commands: piensa, piense, pensemos, pensad, piensen.
Negative Imperative
yo: no pienses
Negative commands use the present subjunctive: no pienses, no piense, no pensemos, no penséis, no piensen.