provocar Imperfect Conjugation
provocar — to cause
The imperfect of provocar is regular: provocaba, provocabas, provocaba, provocábamos, provocabais, provocaban.
provocar Imperfect Forms
When to Use the Imperfect
Use the imperfect to describe a situation that used to cause a reaction habitually or to set the scene in the past.
Notes on provocar in the Imperfect
Provocar is regular in the imperfect. Like all -ar verbs, it uses the -aba endings.
Example Sentences
Antes, su actitud provocaba muchas risas.
Before, his attitude used to cause a lot of laughter.
él/ella/usted
Las luces brillantes nos provocaban dolor de cabeza.
The bright lights were causing us a headache.
ellos/ellas/ustedes
Yo siempre provocaba el caos en clase.
I was always causing chaos in class.
yo
Common Mistakes
Mistake: Writing 'provocamos' instead of 'provocábamos' for the past.
Correct: provocábamos
Why: 'Provocamos' is present or preterite; the imperfect 'aba' is necessary for ongoing or habitual past actions.
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Related Tenses
Present
yo: provoco
The present tense of provocar is entirely regular: provoco, provocas, provoca, provocamos, provocáis, provocan.
Preterite
yo: provoqué
The preterite of provocar is regular except for the 'yo' form, which changes 'c' to 'qu': provoqué.
Future
yo: provocaré
The future tense of provocar is regular: provocaré, provocarás, provocará, provocaremos, provocaréis, provocarán.
Conditional
yo: provocaría
The conditional of provocar is regular: provocaría, provocarías, provocaría, provocaríamos, provocaríais, provocarían.
Present Subjunctive
yo: provoque
The present subjunctive of provocar requires a spelling change from 'c' to 'qu' in all forms: provoque, provoques, provoque, provoquemos, provoquéis, provoquen.
Imperfect Subjunctive
yo: provocara
The imperfect subjunctive of provocar is formed from the third-person plural preterite: provocara, provocaras, provocara, provocáramos, provocarais, provocaran.
Affirmative Imperative
yo: provoca
The imperative of provocar uses the spelling change 'qu' for formal commands: provoca (tú), provoque (usted), provoquen (ustedes).
Negative Imperative
yo: no provoques
The negative imperative of provocar always uses the 'qu' spelling change: no provoques, no provoque, no provoquemos, no provoquen.