recordaba
reh-kor-DAH-bah
Quick Reference
📝 In Action
Yo recordaba su cara, pero no su nombre.
A2I remembered (used to remember) her face, but not her name.
Él recordaba sus veranos en el campo.
A2He used to remember his summers in the countryside.
Ese olor me recordaba a mi abuela.
B1That smell reminded me of my grandmother.
💡 Grammar Points
One word, many people
In this past tense form, the word 'recordaba' is the same whether you are talking about yourself (I), him, her, or you-formal. You often need to use the person's name or a pronoun like 'yo' or 'ella' to make it clear who is doing the remembering.
Descriptive Past
Use this form when you are describing a memory that lasted for a while or something you used to do regularly, rather than a single, quick moment of remembering.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Recordar vs. Acordarse
Mistake: "Me recordaba de eso."
Correction: Say 'Recordaba eso' or 'Me acordaba de eso'. 'Recordar' doesn't usually need the 'me' and 'de' together like 'acordarse' does.
⭐ Usage Tips
Setting the Scene
This word is perfect for 'flashback' moments in stories. When you want to describe the background of a memory, 'recordaba' is your go-to word.
🔄 Conjugations
subjunctive
imperfect
present
indicative
preterite
imperfect
present
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: recordaba
Question 1 of 2
If you say 'Ella recordaba la canción', what does it mean?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between 'recordé' and 'recordaba'?
Use 'recordé' for a single moment where you remembered something (like 'I suddenly remembered my keys'). Use 'recordaba' for a state of memory or something you remembered over a period of time (like 'I used to remember his phone number').
Does 'recordaba' mean 'to record' like a video?
No. While they share an origin, 'recordaba' only refers to memory in Spanish. To say 'was recording' a video, you would use 'grababa'.