sanar Imperfect Conjugation
sanar — to heal
Sanar uses regular -aba endings in the imperfect: sanaba, sanabas, sanaba, sanábamos, sanabais, sanaban.
sanar Imperfect Forms
When to Use the Imperfect
Use the imperfect to describe the ongoing process of healing in the past or how a doctor used to treat patients regularly.
Notes on sanar in the Imperfect
Sanar is regular in the imperfect. Remember the accent on the 'á' in the nosotros form 'sanábamos'.
Example Sentences
Antes, las heridas sanaban más despacio.
Before, wounds used to heal more slowly.
ellos/ellas/ustedes
Yo sanaba poco a poco cada día.
I was healing little by little every day.
yo
Tú sanabas a la gente con hierbas.
You used to heal people with herbs.
tú
Common Mistakes
Mistake: Using 'sanía' instead of 'sanaba'.
Correct: The correct form is sanaba.
Why: Learners often confuse -ar and -er/-ir endings in the imperfect; -ar verbs always use -aba.
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Related Tenses
Present
yo: sano
Sanar is regular in the present: sano, sanas, sana, sanamos, sanáis, sanan.
Preterite
yo: sané
Sanar follows regular -ar preterite endings: sané, sanaste, sanó, sanamos, sanasteis, sanaron.
Future
yo: sanaré
Sanar is regular in the future: add -é, -ás, -á, -emos, -éis, -án to the infinitive.
Conditional
yo: sanaría
Sanar is regular in the conditional: sanaría, sanarías, sanaría, sanaríamos, sanaríais, sanarían.
Present Subjunctive
yo: sane
Sanar follows the regular -ar subjunctive pattern: sane, sanes, sane, sanemos, sanéis, sanen.
Imperfect Subjunctive
yo: sanara
Sanar in the imperfect subjunctive uses the 'ellos' preterite stem: sanara, sanaras, sanara, sanáramos, sanarais, sanaran.
Affirmative Imperative
yo: sana
The imperative of sanar is: sana (tú), sane (usted), sanemos (nosotros), sanad (vosotros), sanen (ustedes).
Negative Imperative
yo: no sanes
The negative imperative of sanar uses present subjunctive forms: no sanes, no sane, no sanemos, no sanéis, no sanen.