Inklingo
A young child listening attentively and respectfully to an elderly woman speaking while sitting on a park bench.

respetar Imperfect Conjugation

respetarto respect

A1regular -ar★★★★★
Quick answer:

The imperfect of respetar is regular: respetaba, respetabas, respetaba, respetábamos, respetabais, respetaban.

respetar Imperfect Forms

yorespetaba
respetabas
él/ella/ustedrespetaba
nosotrosrespetábamos
vosotrosrespetabais
ellos/ellas/ustedesrespetaban

When to Use the Imperfect

Use the imperfect to describe a continuous state of respect in the past or a habitual behavior, like how you used to respect your teachers as a child.

Notes on respetar in the Imperfect

Respetar is fully regular in the imperfect. Note the accent on the 'nosotros' form (respetábamos).

Example Sentences

  • De niño, yo respetaba mucho a mis abuelos.

    As a child, I respected my grandparents a lot.

    yo

  • Vosotros siempre respetabais las tradiciones.

    You all always used to respect the traditions.

    vosotros

  • Ellos no respetaban el horario de descanso.

    They didn't respect the rest schedule.

    ellos/ellas/ustedes

Common Mistakes

  • Mistake: respetabamos

    Correct: respetábamos

    Why: All -ar imperfect 'nosotros' forms require a written accent on the third-to-last syllable.

Master Spanish verbs in context

Memorizing tables only gets you so far. Read 200+ illustrated and narrated Spanish stories to see verbs like 'respetar' used naturally — in the tenses you're learning.

Related Tenses