sonaba
/soh-NAH-bah/
was sounding
This image shows 'was sounding' (sonaba) describing an ongoing action of sound production.
sonaba(Verb)
was sounding
?describing an ongoing action
,used to ring
?describing a habitual action
was playing
?referring to music
📝 In Action
El despertador sonaba muy fuerte cada mañana.
A1The alarm clock used to ring very loudly every morning.
Mientras comíamos, la música sonaba suavemente de fondo.
A2While we were eating, the music was sounding softly in the background.
Cuando llegué, la sirena de la policía sonaba a lo lejos.
A2When I arrived, the police siren was sounding in the distance.
💡 Grammar Points
The Imperfect Tense (Imperfecto)
This form describes actions that were repeated, habitual, or ongoing in the past. Think of it as 'used to...' or 'was/were -ing...'
Setting the Scene
We use 'sonaba' to describe the background sound or setting when another, shorter action (using the preterite tense) happened. Example: 'El teléfono sonaba (background), y luego lo cogí (short action).'
❌ Common Pitfalls
Using the Wrong Past Tense
Mistake: "The learner says: 'El despertador sonó cada mañana.'"
Correction: Say: 'El despertador sonaba cada mañana.' Use 'sonaba' (imperfect) for repeated actions, not 'sonó' (preterite), which is for a single, completed action.
⭐ Usage Tips
Vowel Change Tip
Note that 'sonar' has a tricky vowel change in the present tense ('sueno'), but it is completely regular in the imperfect tense ('sonaba').
When sonaba means 'sounded familiar', it refers to the impression or recognition upon hearing a known sound.
📝 In Action
Su acento me sonaba a español de Argentina.
B1His accent sounded like Argentine Spanish to me.
La excusa que me dio sonaba poco creíble.
B2The excuse he gave me sounded unbelievable.
Ese apellido me sonaba, pero no sabía por qué.
B1That last name sounded familiar to me, but I didn't know why.
💡 Grammar Points
Using 'Me' or 'Te'
When 'sonar' means 'to sound familiar,' it usually takes an indirect object pronoun (like 'me,' 'te,' 'le') to show who is doing the recognizing. Example: 'Me sonaba' (It sounded familiar to me).
❌ Common Pitfalls
Confusing 'Sonaba' and 'Sonó'
Mistake: "The learner says: 'Esa historia sonó extraña.'"
Correction: Say: 'Esa historia sonaba extraña.' When describing an impression or quality that lasted for a period, the imperfect ('sonaba') is usually better than the preterite ('sonó'), which implies the impression was only momentary.
⭐ Usage Tips
Easy Recognition
If you can replace 'sonaba' with 'seemed' or 'gave the impression of' in English, you are using this figurative meaning correctly.
🔄 Conjugations
subjunctive
imperfect
present
indicative
imperfect
present
preterite
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: sonaba
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence correctly uses 'sonaba' to describe a repeated action in the past?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between 'sonaba' and 'sonó'?
'Sonaba' (imperfect) describes an action that was continuous, repeated, or setting the scene in the past ('The phone was ringing' or 'The bell used to ring'). 'Sonó' (preterite) describes a single, completed action ('The phone rang once and stopped').
Who is 'sonaba' referring to?
'Sonaba' can refer to 'yo' (I), 'él' (he), 'ella' (she), or 'usted' (you, formal). In most cases, it refers to a non-person subject, like 'el teléfono' (the phone), 'la música' (the music), or 'el nombre' (the name).