velar Imperfect Conjugation
velar — to watch over
The imperfect of velar is regular: velaba, velabas, velaba, velábamos, velabais, velaban.
velar Imperfect Forms
When to Use the Imperfect
Use the imperfect of 'velar' to describe ongoing or habitual actions in the past, or to set the scene. For example, 'Cuando era niño, mi abuelo siempre velaba mi sueño.' (When I was a child, my grandfather always watched over my sleep.) It paints a picture of the past without focusing on completion.
Notes on velar in the Imperfect
Velar is regular in the imperfect tense. All forms follow the standard conjugation pattern for -ar verbs in this tense.
Example Sentences
Yo velaba a mi hermano menor mientras él hacía sus deberes.
I watched over my younger brother while he did his homework.
yo
¿Tú velabas las ovejas en el campo?
Did you used to watch over the sheep in the field?
tú
El centinela velaba la muralla noche tras noche.
The sentinel watched over the wall night after night.
él/ella/usted
Nosotros velábamos por los recién llegados.
We used to watch over the newcomers.
nosotros
Ellos velaban en silencio, observando la ciudad.
They watched over in silence, observing the city.
ellos/ellas/ustedes
Common Mistakes
Mistake: Using the preterite 'veló' instead of the imperfect 'velaba' for a past habit or ongoing action.
Correct: Use 'Mi abuela siempre me velaba' (My grandmother always watched over me) for habit.
Why: The imperfect describes continuous or repeated actions in the past, whereas the preterite describes single, completed events.
Mistake: Confusing the imperfect 'velaba' with the present 'velo'.
Correct: 'Yo velaba' refers to the past; 'Yo velo' refers to the present.
Why: These tenses describe different time frames; one is past ongoing, the other is present action.
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Related Tenses
Present
yo: velo
The present indicative of velar is regular: velo, velas, vela, velamos, veláis, velan.
Preterite
yo: velé
The preterite of velar is regular: velé, velaste, veló, velamos, velasteis, velaron.
Future
yo: velaré
The future of velar is regular: velaré, velarás, velará, velaremos, velaréis, velarán.
Conditional
yo: velaría
The conditional of velar is regular: velaría, velarías, velaría, velaríamos, velaríais, velarían.
Present Subjunctive
yo: vele
The present subjunctive of velar (vele, veles, velemos, velen) expresses wishes, doubts, emotions, or uncertainty.
Imperfect Subjunctive
yo: velara
The imperfect subjunctive of velar (velara, velaras, veláramos, velaran) expresses past wishes, doubts, or hypothetical situations.
Affirmative Imperative
yo: vela
The imperative of velar gives commands: ¡vela! (you singular, informal), ¡vele! (you singular, formal), ¡velemos! (we), ¡velen! (you plural, formal), ¡velad! (you plural, informal).
Negative Imperative
yo: no veles
Negative commands for velar use the present subjunctive: no veles, no vele, no velemos, no velen, no veléis.