preocupaba
pre-oh-koo-BAH-bah
Quick Reference
📝 In Action
Antes, el futuro no me preocupaba mucho.
A2Before, the future didn't worry me much.
Ella me preocupaba porque no contestaba mis llamadas.
B1She was worrying me because she wasn't answering my calls.
Cuando era niño, la oscuridad me preocupaba.
A2When I was a child, the dark used to worry me.
💡 Grammar Points
Dual Role of 'Preocupaba'
'Preocupaba' is the past form used when the subject is 'I' (yo) OR 'he/she/it/you formal' (él/ella/usted). You need context to know who the subject is.
Using the Imperfect Tense
This verb form describes actions or feelings that were ongoing, habitual, or used as background description in the past, like 'I used to feel' or 'it was happening'.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Worrying Yourself vs. Worrying Others
Mistake: "Using 'preocupaba' when you mean 'I was worried' (Yo me preocupaba)."
Correction: 'Preocupaba' means 'it worried someone else.' If you want to say 'I was worried,' you must use the reflexive form: 'Yo me preocupaba.'
⭐ Usage Tips
Focus on the Effect
Think of 'preocupar' as 'to cause worry.' If you say 'La noticia preocupaba a Juan,' the news was the cause, and Juan was the person affected.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: preocupaba
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence correctly uses 'preocupaba' to mean 'The noise was worrying me'?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know if 'preocupaba' means 'I worried' or 'He/She/It worried'?
You need to look at the context of the sentence. If there is no subject pronoun, the person is usually 'él, ella, or usted' (he, she, or formal you). If the sentence starts with 'Yo,' then it means 'I worried (someone else).'
What is the difference between 'preocupaba' and 'me preocupaba'?
'Preocupaba' (without 'me') means 'it/he/she was worrying someone else.' 'Me preocupaba' means 'it was worrying me.' The word 'me' shows who was receiving the worry.