rebelar Imperfect Conjugation
rebelar — to rebel
The imperfect of rebelar ('rebelaba', 'rebelabas', etc.) describes ongoing or habitual past rebellions.
rebelar Imperfect Forms
When to Use the Imperfect
Use the imperfect to describe background situations, ongoing actions, or habitual rebellions in the past. For example, 'Los siervos se rebelaban a menudo contra sus amos.' (The serfs often rebelled against their masters) describes a repeated action. It sets the scene: 'Mientras el rey hablaba, el pueblo se rebelaba en las calles.' (While the king spoke, the people were rebelling in the streets).
Notes on rebelar in the Imperfect
Rebelar is regular in the imperfect indicative tense.
Example Sentences
Cuando era niño, me rebelaba contra las reglas de la casa.
When I was a child, I used to rebel against the house rules.
yo
Los prisioneros se rebelaban constantemente contra sus captores.
The prisoners constantly rebelled against their captors.
ellos/ellas/ustedes
¿Te rebelabas contra tus padres cuando eras adolescente?
Did you used to rebel against your parents when you were a teenager?
tú
Ella se rebelaba contra la autoridad de su jefe.
She used to rebel against her boss's authority.
él/ella/usted
Common Mistakes
Mistake: Using the preterite for habitual or ongoing past actions.
Correct: If the rebellion was a repeated or ongoing action in the past, use the imperfect: 'Se rebelaba cada semana' (He rebelled every week). Use the preterite for a single, completed event: 'Se rebeló una vez' (He rebelled once).
Why: The imperfect tense is used for descriptions, ongoing actions, and habits in the past, not for completed events.
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Related Tenses
Present
yo: rebelo
The present tense 'rebelo', 'rebelas', 'rebela', etc., describes current actions or general truths about rebellion.
Preterite
yo: rebelé
The preterite of rebelar is regular: rebelé, rebelaste, rebeló, rebelamos, rebelasteis, rebelaron.
Future
yo: rebelaré
The future tense 'rebelaré', 'rebelarás', etc., indicates actions that will happen or expresses probability.
Conditional
yo: rebelaría
The conditional 'rebelaría', 'rebelarías', etc., expresses hypotheticals ('would') or polite requests.
Present Subjunctive
yo: rebele
The present subjunctive, like 'rebele' (yo/él/ella/usted) or 'rebelen' (ellos/ellas/ustedes), expresses wishes, doubts, and emotions.
Imperfect Subjunctive
yo: rebelara
The imperfect subjunctive, like 'rebelara' or 'rebelase', describes past hypotheticals or wishes.
Affirmative Imperative
yo: rebela
Use imperative forms like 'rebela' (tú) and 'rebelen' (ustedes) for direct commands.
Negative Imperative
yo: no rebeles
Negative commands use 'no' plus present subjunctive forms like 'no rebeles' (tú) and 'no rebelen' (ustedes).