sumar Imperfect Conjugation

When to Use the Imperfect

Use the imperfect of sumar to describe habitual actions in the past ('Yo sumaba los gastos cada semana' - I used to add up the expenses every week) or to set the scene ('Mientras él sumaba, yo leía' - While he was adding up, I was reading).

Notes on sumar in the Imperfect

Sumar is regular in the imperfect indicative. The forms are predictable.

Example Sentences

• Cuando era niño, sumaba las estrellas en el cielo.

  When I was a child, I used to count the stars in the sky.

  yo

• Tú sumabas las cuentas en la escuela primaria.

  You used to add up the accounts in elementary school.

  tú

• Ella sumaba los resultados mientras el profesor hablaba.

  She was adding up the results while the teacher was talking.

  él/ella/usted

• Nosotros sumábamos las ventas cada tarde.

  We used to add up the sales every afternoon.

  nosotros

• Ellos sumaban sus ahorros para comprar el coche.

  They were adding up their savings to buy the car.

  ellos/ellas/ustedes

Common Mistakes

• Mistake: Using the preterite for habitual past actions.

  Correct: Use 'Yo sumaba' for 'I used to add up', not 'Yo sumé'.

  Why: The imperfect describes ongoing or repeated actions in the past, whereas the preterite describes a single, completed event.

• Mistake: Confusing the imperfect 'sumaba' with the present subjunctive 'sume' or imperative 'sume'.

  Correct: Remember 'sumaba' is for past descriptions, not commands or wishes.

  Why: These forms look similar but belong to different moods and tenses, serving distinct grammatical functions.

Related Tenses