solíamos

so-LEE-ah-mossoˈli.amos

“solíamos” means “we used to” in Spanish (expressing a past habit or routine).

we used to

Also: we would often

Verb (Conjugated Form)B1irregular (stem-changing in present tense) er

A colorful storybook illustration showing two small figures, holding hands, walking together down a well-worn, curving path in a sunny green field, symbolizing a repeated past activity.

infinitivesoler

gerundsoliendo

past Participlesolido

📝 In Action

Cuando éramos jóvenes, solíamos ir a la playa todos los veranos.

When we were young, we used to go to the beach every summer.

Solíamos hablar por teléfono durante horas, pero ahora estamos muy ocupados.

We would often talk on the phone for hours, but now we are very busy.

Mi hermana y yo solíamos compartir todo, incluso nuestros secretos más grandes.

My sister and I used to share everything, even our biggest secrets.

Word Connections

Synonyms

acostumbrarse (to get used to)
tener la costumbre de (to have the habit of)

Common Collocations

solíamos decir – we used to say
solíamos vernos – we used to see each other

🔄 Conjugations

indicative

present

él/ella/ustedsuele

yosuelo

túsueles

ellos/ellas/ustedessuelen

nosotrossolemos

vosotrossoléis

imperfect

él/ella/ustedsolía

yosolía

túsolías

ellos/ellas/ustedessolían

nosotrossolíamos

vosotrossolíais

preterite

él/ella/ustedsolió

yosolí

túsoliste

ellos/ellas/ustedessolieron

nosotrossolimos

vosotrossolisteis

subjunctive

present

él/ella/ustedsuela

yosuela

túsuelas

ellos/ellas/ustedessuelan

nosotrossolamos

vosotrossoláis

imperfect

él/ella/ustedsoliera/soliese

yosoliera/soliese

túsolieras/solieses

ellos/ellas/ustedessolieran/soliesen

nosotrossoliéramos/soliésemos

vosotrossolierais/solieseis

View All Tenses & Moods →

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: solíamos

Question 1 of 2

Which sentence correctly uses 'solíamos' to describe a past habit?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼

soler(to usually do; to be accustomed to) — Verb

solemos(we usually do) — Verb

solía(I/he/she used to) — Verb

🎵 Rhymes▼

veíamosleíamos

📚 Etymology▼

The verb *soler* comes from the Latin verb *solēre*, meaning 'to be accustomed to,' 'to be in the habit of,' or 'to be usual.' The meaning has remained remarkably consistent over centuries.

First recorded: Vulgar Latin period (before 9th century)

Cognates (Related words)

Portuguese: soer

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'solíamos' the same as using the simple Imperfect tense?

Not exactly. The simple Imperfect (e.g., *íbamos* - 'we were going' or 'we went') can describe a habit, but using 'solíamos' (solíamos ir - 'we used to go') specifically emphasizes the habitual nature of the action, making it clearer and more natural, just like using 'used to' in English.

Can I use 'solíamos' to talk about things that only happened once?

No. 'Solíamos' is reserved for actions that repeated over a period of time in the past—things you did habitually, like a routine or custom.