tentar Imperfect Conjugation
tentar — to tempt
The imperfect of tentar is regular: tentaba, tentabas, tentaba, tentábamos, tentabais, tentaban.
tentar Imperfect Forms
When to Use the Imperfect
Use the imperfect to describe an ongoing temptation in the past or to describe how something used to feel to the touch habitually.
Notes on tentar in the Imperfect
Tentar is a regular -ar verb in the imperfect. No stem changes occur here.
Example Sentences
De niño, siempre tentaba los límites de mis padres.
As a child, I was always testing my parents' limits.
yo
La idea de viajar nos tentaba cada verano.
The idea of traveling tempted us every summer.
él/ella/usted
Ustedes tentaban la superficie antes de caminar.
You all used to feel the surface before walking.
ellos/ellas/ustedes
Common Mistakes
Mistake: Forgetting the accent on 'tentábamos'.
Correct: The correct form is 'tentábamos'.
Why: The nosotros form of all -ar verbs in the imperfect requires an accent on the antepenultimate syllable.
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Related Tenses
Present
yo: tiento
The present tense of tentar features an e-to-ie stem change in all forms except nosotros and vosotros.
Preterite
yo: tenté
The preterite of tentar is completely regular: tenté, tentaste, tentó, tentamos, tentasteis, tentaron.
Future
yo: tentaré
The future tense is regular; simply add the endings to the infinitive: tentaré, tentarás, tentará...
Conditional
yo: tentaría
The conditional is regular: tentaría, tentarías, tentaría, tentaríamos, tentaríais, tentarían.
Present Subjunctive
yo: tiente
The present subjunctive of tentar follows the e-to-ie stem change: tiente, tientes, tiente, tentemos, tentéis, tienten.
Imperfect Subjunctive
yo: tentara
The imperfect subjunctive is regular: tentara, tentaras, tentara, tentáramos, tentarais, tentaran.
Affirmative Imperative
yo: tienta
The imperative uses 'tienta' (tú) and 'tiente' (usted), following the stem change.
Negative Imperative
yo: no tientes
The negative imperative uses the present subjunctive forms: no tientes, no tiente, no tentemos...