preguntaba
preh-goon-TAH-bah
Quick Reference
📝 In Action
Mi hijo siempre me preguntaba por qué el cielo era azul.
A2My son always used to ask me why the sky was blue.
Ella preguntaba por el precio mientras yo buscaba mi billetera.
A2She was asking about the price while I looked for my wallet.
Usted preguntaba mucho, pero nadie le respondía.
B1You (formal) were asking a lot, but nobody answered you.
Cuando era niño, le preguntaba a mi abuela cómo hacía su famoso pastel.
B1When I was a child, I would ask my grandmother how she made her famous cake.
💡 Grammar Points
Who Does the Asking?
This form, 'preguntaba', can mean 'I was asking' (Yo), 'He/She was asking' (Él/Ella), or 'You were asking' (Usted, the formal 'you'). You need the surrounding context (like the subject or situation) to know who is doing the action.
The Imperfect Tense (The Story Tense)
The imperfect tense (ending in -aba or -ía) is used to describe things happening in the background, habitual actions in the past ('used to ask'), or continuous actions ('was asking'). Think of it as painting the scene.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Imperfect vs. Preterite
Mistake: "Using 'preguntó' (he/she asked once) when you mean 'preguntaba' (he/she was asking repeatedly)."
Correction: Use 'preguntaba' for routine past actions or ongoing processes, not for a single, completed question. Example: 'Todos los días preguntaba' (Every day he asked).
⭐ Usage Tips
Setting the Scene
Use 'preguntaba' when you are setting the scene for a story. For instance, 'Mientras ella preguntaba sobre el viaje, el teléfono sonó' (While she was asking about the trip, the phone rang).
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: preguntaba
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence correctly uses 'preguntaba' to describe a repeated action in the past?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does 'preguntaba' mean 'I was asking' AND 'He was asking'?
Many Spanish verb forms are shared across different subjects. 'Preguntaba' is the form for 'Yo' (I) and 'Él/Ella/Usted' (He/She/You formal). You rely on the subject pronoun (Yo, Ella) or the context of the conversation to know exactly who is performing the action.
Is 'preguntaba' used more often than 'preguntó'?
Both are extremely common! 'Preguntó' (the preterite tense) is used for a single, completed action (e.g., 'He asked once'). 'Preguntaba' (the imperfect tense) is used for ongoing or routine actions (e.g., 'He used to ask every day'). They describe different kinds of past events.