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faltaba

fahl-TAH-bah/falˈtaβa/

was missing, was lacking

Also: was needed
A colorful wooden puzzle board with a large, obvious space where a single piece is missing.
infinitivefaltar
gerundfaltando
past Participlefaltado

📝 In Action

Cuando llegué a la reunión, solo faltaba el jefe.

A2

When I arrived at the meeting, only the boss was missing.

En la receta, faltaba un ingrediente crucial: el azúcar.

B1

In the recipe, a crucial ingredient was lacking: the sugar.

Parecía que siempre faltaba algo de dinero en la caja.

B2

It seemed like some money was always missing from the till.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • ausentarse (to be absent)
  • carecer (to lack)

Antonyms

  • sobrar (to be left over)
  • estar (to be present)

Common Collocations

  • Faltaba algo de – Something was lacking in

missed (emotionally)

Also: yearned for
A small, sad child sitting alone on a park bench, gazing wistfully at the empty space beside them, feeling the absence of a companion.

📝 In Action

Después de mudarse, le faltaba la tranquilidad del campo.

B1

After moving, she missed the tranquility of the countryside. (Literally: The tranquility of the countryside was lacking to her.)

A pesar de tener amigos, me faltaba mi mejor amigo de la infancia.

B2

Despite having friends, I missed my best friend from childhood.

Word Connections

Synonyms

remained, was left

A traveler standing very close to the door of a welcoming cottage, illustrating that only a small distance remained until arrival.

📝 In Action

Faltaba solo una hora para que terminara el plazo.

B1

Only one hour remained until the deadline ended.

Cuando llegamos a la cima, nos dimos cuenta de que faltaba poco para el amanecer.

B2

When we reached the summit, we realized that little time was left until dawn.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Common Collocations

  • Faltaba poco – Little time was left

🔄 Conjugations

indicative

present

él/ella/ustedfalta
yofalto
túfaltas
ellos/ellas/ustedesfaltan
nosotrosfaltamos
vosotrosfaltáis

imperfect

él/ella/ustedfaltaba
yofaltaba
túfaltabas
ellos/ellas/ustedesfaltaban
nosotrosfaltábamos
vosotrosfaltabais

preterite

él/ella/ustedfaltó
yofalté
túfaltaste
ellos/ellas/ustedesfaltaron
nosotrosfaltamos
vosotrosfaltasteis

subjunctive

present

él/ella/ustedfalte
yofalte
túfaltes
ellos/ellas/ustedesfalten
nosotrosfaltemos
vosotrosfaltéis

imperfect

él/ella/ustedfaltara/faltase
yofaltara/faltase
túfaltaras/faltases
ellos/ellas/ustedesfaltaran/faltasen
nosotrosfaltáramos/faltásemos
vosotrosfaltarais/faltaseis
View All Tenses & Moods →

Translate to Spanish

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: faltaba

Question 1 of 2

Which English phrase best translates 'Me faltaba un libro para terminar la colección'?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
faltar(to lack, to miss) — Verb
falta(lack, absence, fault) — Noun
faltante(missing (item)) — Adjective
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

The verb 'faltar' comes from the Latin verb *fallere*, meaning 'to deceive' or 'to fail.' Over time, its meaning shifted in Spanish to focus on the idea of 'failing to be present' or 'lacking something.'

First recorded: 13th century

Cognates (Related words)

Portuguese: faltar

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between 'faltaba' and 'faltó'?

'Faltaba' (Imperfect) describes a continuous or habitual situation in the past (e.g., 'The light was always off'). 'Faltó' (Preterite) describes a single, completed event (e.g., 'He missed the appointment once').

Is 'faltaba' the same as 'extrañaba'?

They are similar when talking about missing a person. 'Extrañaba' is generally used for emotional longing ('I missed him'). 'Faltaba' often implies a practical or emotional lack where the missing item/person is the subject ('He was lacking to me').