recompensar Imperfect Conjugation
recompensar — to reward
Use imperfect like 'recompensaba' for past habits or descriptions.
recompensar Imperfect Forms
When to Use the Imperfect
The imperfect tense is for describing ongoing actions, habitual actions, or settings in the past. For 'recompensar', you'd use it to talk about how someone *used to* reward people, or what was happening when a reward was given.
Notes on recompensar in the Imperfect
'Recompensar' is regular in the imperfect indicative. The endings are standard for -ar verbs: -aba, -abas, -aba, -ábamos, -abais, -aban.
Example Sentences
Yo recompensaba a los niños cada semana.
I used to reward the children every week.
yo
¿Tú recompensabas a los estudiantes por participar?
Did you used to reward students for participating?
tú
Ella recompensaba la lealtad de sus empleados.
She rewarded the loyalty of her employees (habitually).
él/ella/usted
Ellos nos recompensaban con pequeños regalos.
They used to reward us with small gifts.
ellos/ellas/ustedes
Common Mistakes
Mistake: Using the imperfect for a single completed action in the past.
Correct: For a specific, finished act of rewarding, use the preterite: 'Él recompensó el informe ayer.'
Why: The imperfect describes ongoing or habitual past actions, not single, completed events.
Mistake: Confusing 'recompensábamos' (imperfect nosotros) with 'recompensamos' (present nosotros).
Correct: The imperfect has the '-aba-' stem: 'recompensábamos'. The present has '-amos'.
Why: The presence of '-aba-' clearly indicates the imperfect tense for ongoing or habitual past actions.
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Related Tenses
Present
yo: recompenso
Use present tense like 'recompenso' for current actions or habits.
Preterite
yo: recompensé
Use preterite like 'recompensé' for completed past actions.
Future
yo: recompensaré
Use future like 'recompensaré' for actions that will happen.
Conditional
yo: recompensaría
Use conditional like 'recompensaría' for hypotheticals ('would').
Present Subjunctive
yo: recompense
Use present subjunctive like 'recompense' after wishes, doubts, or emotions.
Imperfect Subjunctive
yo: recompensara
Use imperfect subjunctive like 'recompensara' for past hypotheticals or wishes.
Affirmative Imperative
yo: recompensa
Use imperative forms like 'recompensa' (tú) for direct commands.
Negative Imperative
yo: no recompenses
Use 'no' + present subjunctive for negative commands, like 'no recompenses' (tú).