potenciar Imperfect Conjugation
potenciar — to boost
The imperfect of potenciar describes ongoing or habitual past actions: potenciaba, potenciabas, potenciaba, potenciábamos, potenciabais, potenciaban.
potenciar Imperfect Forms
When to Use the Imperfect
Use the imperfect tense for descriptions in the past, ongoing actions, or habitual actions. For 'potenciar,' you might say 'Cuando era joven, potenciaba mi resistencia corriendo' (When I was young, I boosted my endurance by running) or 'El sol potenciaba el crecimiento de las plantas' (The sun boosted the plants' growth - describing a continuous effect).
Notes on potenciar in the Imperfect
Potenciar is regular in the imperfect tense. All forms are regular and follow the standard -ar imperfect conjugation.
Example Sentences
Yo potenciaba mi concentración meditando.
I used to boost my concentration by meditating.
yo
¿Tú potenciabas esas ideas en clase?
Did you used to boost those ideas in class?
tú
El entrenador potenciaba la moral del equipo.
The coach boosted the team's morale.
él/ella/usted
Nosotros potenciábamos la lectura cada día.
We used to boost reading every day.
nosotros
Ellos potenciaban la seguridad con nuevas cámaras.
They boosted security with new cameras.
ellos/ellas/ustedes
Common Mistakes
Mistake: Using the preterite instead of the imperfect.
Correct: Use 'Potenciaba mi energía' (I was boosting / used to boost my energy - ongoing/habitual) instead of 'Potencié mi energía' (I boosted my energy - completed action).
Why: The imperfect describes background or continuous actions, while the preterite focuses on completed events.
Mistake: Incorrectly conjugating the 'nosotros' form.
Correct: The correct form is 'potenciábamos', not 'potenciamos'.
Why: The imperfect adds '-aba' or '-ía' to the stem, not the present tense ending.
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Related Tenses
Present
yo: potencio
The present tense of potenciar is used for current actions or habits: potencio, potencias, potencia, potenciamos, potenciáis, potencian.
Preterite
yo: potencié
The preterite of potenciar is regular: potencié, potenciaste, potenció, potenciamos, potenciasteis, potenciaron.
Future
yo: potenciaré
The future tense of potenciar expresses future actions: potenciaré, potenciarás, potenciará, potenciaremos, potenciaréis, potenciarán.
Conditional
yo: potenciaría
The conditional of potenciar expresses hypotheticals ('would boost'): potenciaría, potenciarías, potenciaría, potenciaríamos, potenciaríais, potenciarían.
Present Subjunctive
yo: potencie
The present subjunctive of potenciar is used for wishes, doubts, and suggestions, like 'potencie' or 'potenciemos'.
Imperfect Subjunctive
yo: potenciara
The imperfect subjunctive of potenciar expresses past doubts, wishes, or hypothetical situations, like 'potenciara' or 'potenciase'.
Affirmative Imperative
yo: potencia
The imperative of potenciar gives direct commands like '¡potencia!' or '¡potenciemos!'.
Negative Imperative
yo: no potencies
Negative commands for potenciar use the present subjunctive, like 'no potencies' or 'no potenciemos'.