reservar Imperfect Conjugation
reservar — to book
The imperfect of reservar is regular: reservaba, reservabas, reservaba, reservábamos, reservabais, reservaban.
reservar Imperfect Forms
When to Use the Imperfect
Use the imperfect of 'reservar' to describe past situations where booking was a background action, habitual, or ongoing. For example, 'I used to book flights online' or 'He was booking the hotel when the phone rang.'
Notes on reservar in the Imperfect
'Reservar' is regular in the imperfect indicative. All forms follow the standard pattern: -aba, -abas, -aba, -ábamos, -abais, -aban.
Example Sentences
Yo reservaba un hotel diferente cada vez que viajaba.
I used to book a different hotel every time I traveled.
yo
¿Tú reservabas las entradas por teléfono?
Did you used to book the tickets by phone?
tú
Ella reservaba siempre la misma mesa en el restaurante.
She always booked the same table at the restaurant.
él/ella/usted
Nosotros reservábamos con mucha antelación para obtener mejores precios.
We used to book well in advance to get better prices.
nosotros
Ellos reservaban sus asientos mucho antes del evento.
They used to book their seats long before the event.
ellos/ellas/ustedes
Common Mistakes
Mistake: Using the preterite 'reservó' for a habitual past action.
Correct: Use the imperfect 'reservaba' for past habits: 'Ella siempre reservaba'.
Why: The imperfect describes ongoing or repeated actions in the past, setting the scene.
Mistake: Confusing the 'yo' and 'él/ella/usted' forms.
Correct: Both 'reservaba' (yo) and 'reservaba' (él/ella/usted) are spelled the same.
Why: Context is needed to differentiate between the first and third person singular in the imperfect tense.
Master Spanish verbs in context
Memorizing tables only gets you so far. Read 200+ illustrated and narrated Spanish stories to see verbs like 'reservar' used naturally — in the tenses you're learning.
Related Tenses
Present
yo: reservo
The present tense of reservar is regular: reservo, reservas, reserva, reservamos, reserváis, reservan.
Preterite
yo: reservé
The preterite of reservar is regular: reservé, reservaste, reservó, reservamos, reservasteis, reservaron.
Future
yo: reservaré
The future tense of reservar is regular: reservaré, reservarás, reservará, reservaremos, reservaréis, reservarán.
Conditional
yo: reservaría
The conditional of reservar is regular: reservaría, reservarías, reservaría, reservaríamos, reservaríais, reservarían.
Present Subjunctive
yo: reserve
Use present subjunctive forms like 'reserve' and 'reserven' after expressions of doubt, desire, or emotion with reservar.
Imperfect Subjunctive
yo: reservara
Use imperfect subjunctive forms like 'reservara' or 'reservase' for past hypothetical or desired actions with reservar.
Affirmative Imperative
yo: reserva
Use imperative forms like 'reserva' (tú) and 'reserve' (usted) for direct commands with reservar.
Negative Imperative
yo: no reserves
Use 'no reserves' (tú) and 'no reserve' (usted) to give negative commands with reservar.