tapar Imperfect Conjugation
tapar — to cover
Use tapaba, tapabas, tapaba, tapábamos, etc., for ongoing or habitual past actions, and descriptions.
tapar Imperfect Forms
When to Use the Imperfect
Use the imperfect for actions that were happening continuously in the past ('I was covering') or things you used to do habitually ('I used to cover'). It also sets the scene ('The sky was cloudy').
Notes on tapar in the Imperfect
Tapar is regular in the imperfect indicative tense.
Example Sentences
Yo tapaba el coche con una lona.
I used to cover the car with a tarp.
yo
¿Tú tapabas la mesa antes de cada comida?
Did you used to cover the table before every meal?
tú
El sol tapaba la luna esa noche.
The sun was covering the moon that night.
él/ella/usted
Ellos tapaban las ventanas para que no entrara la luz.
They were covering the windows so the light wouldn't come in.
ellos/ellas/ustedes
Common Mistakes
Mistake: Using imperfect for a single completed past action.
Correct: Use the preterite for completed actions: 'Ayer tapé la ventana', not 'Ayer tapaba la ventana'.
Why: The imperfect describes ongoing or habitual actions, not specific, finished events.
Mistake: Confusing 'tapaba' (yo) with 'tapaba' (él/ella/usted).
Correct: The yo and él/ella/usted forms are identical. Context or subject pronouns clarify who is performing the action.
Why: Spanish often omits subject pronouns when the verb form is unambiguous or contextually clear.
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Related Tenses
Present
yo: tapo
Use tapo, tapas, tapa, tapamos, tapáis, tapan for actions happening now, habits, or general truths.
Preterite
yo: tapé
The preterite of tapar is regular: tapé, tapaste, tapó, tapamos, tapasteis, taparon.
Future
yo: taparé
Use 1st person singular taparé, taparás, etc., for actions that will happen.
Conditional
yo: taparía
Use taparía, taparías, etc., for hypotheticals ('would cover'), polite requests, and future-in-the-past.
Present Subjunctive
yo: tape
Use tape, tapes, tapemos, etc., after expressions of doubt, desire, emotion, and uncertainty.
Imperfect Subjunctive
yo: tapara
Use tapara, taparas, tapáramos, etc., for past wishes, hypothetical situations, and polite requests.
Affirmative Imperative
yo: tapa
Use tapa, tape, tapemos, tapad, tapen for direct commands with tapar.
Negative Imperative
yo: no tapes
Use no tapes, no tape, no tapemos, no tapéis, no tapen for negative commands with tapar.