prestar Imperfect Conjugation
prestar — to lend
The imperfect of prestar uses standard -aba endings: prestaba, prestabas, prestaba, prestábamos, prestabais, prestaban.
prestar Imperfect Forms
When to Use the Imperfect
Use the imperfect to describe a past habit of lending things or to describe an ongoing state, like 'I used to lend him my notes every Monday.'
Notes on prestar in the Imperfect
Prestar is regular in the imperfect. The only accent mark is on the 'nosotros' form (prestábamos).
Example Sentences
De niño, yo siempre prestaba mis juguetes.
As a child, I always used to lend my toys.
yo
Ustedes prestaban mucha atención en clase.
You all used to pay (lend) a lot of attention in class.
ellos/ellas/ustedes
Mi abuelo nos prestaba su casa de campo cada verano.
My grandfather used to lend us his country house every summer.
él/ella/usted
Common Mistakes
Mistake: Using the preterite for a repeated past habit.
Correct: Use prestaba instead of presté for recurring actions.
Why: The imperfect is specifically for ongoing or habitual actions in the past.
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Related Tenses
Present
yo: presto
The present tense of prestar is regular: presto, prestas, presta, prestamos, prestáis, prestan.
Preterite
yo: presté
Prestar is regular in the preterite: presté, prestaste, prestó, prestamos, prestasteis, prestaron.
Future
yo: prestaré
The future of prestar is regular, adding endings to the infinitive: prestaré, prestarás, prestará, prestaremos, prestaréis, prestarán.
Conditional
yo: prestaría
The conditional of prestar is regular: prestaría, prestarías, prestaría, prestaríamos, prestaríais, prestarían.
Present Subjunctive
yo: preste
The present subjunctive of prestar is regular: preste, prestes, preste, prestemos, prestéis, presten.
Imperfect Subjunctive
yo: prestara
The imperfect subjunctive of prestar is regular: prestara, prestaras, prestara, prestáramos, prestarais, prestaran.
Affirmative Imperative
yo: presta
The affirmative imperative of prestar is: presta (tú), prestad (vosotros), preste (usted), presten (ustedes).
Negative Imperative
yo: no prestes
The negative imperative of prestar uses present subjunctive forms: no prestes, no preste, no prestemos, no prestéis, no presten.