tomaba
/toh-MAH-bah/
was taking
The continuous past action of 'was taking' is shown by the child in the process of grasping the book.
tomaba(Verb)
was taking
?continuous past action
,used to take
?habitual past action
was grabbing
?physical action
,would take
?past routine
📝 In Action
Ella siempre **tomaba** mi mano cuando cruzábamos la calle.
A1She always used to take my hand when we crossed the street.
Yo **tomaba** el libro de la mesa y empezaba a leer.
A2I would take the book from the table and start reading.
💡 Grammar Points
Who is 'Tomaba'?
'Tomaba' can mean 'I was taking/used to take' (yo) OR 'He/She/You formal was taking/used to take' (él/ella/usted). Context is key to knowing who is doing the action.
The Imperfect Tense's Role
This tense describes actions that were repeated habits in the past ('used to do') or actions that were ongoing and unfinished ('was doing'). It often sets the scene.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Confusing Imperfect and Preterite
Mistake: "Usando 'tomó' (preterite) cuando se refiere a un hábito, como 'Cada mañana él tomó café.'"
Correction: Use 'tomaba' for repeated habits: 'Cada mañana él tomaba café.' (Every morning he used to drink coffee.)
⭐ Usage Tips
Setting the Scene
Use 'tomaba' to describe how things were, what people were wearing, or what was happening in the background when something else (a single completed action) occurred.
When referring to liquids, 'tomaba' means 'was drinking', illustrated by the person enjoying their juice.
tomaba(Verb)
was drinking
?liquids
,used to drink
?past habit of consuming
was having
?referring to a meal or drink
📝 In Action
Cuando hacía calor, mi abuela siempre **tomaba** limonada.
A1When it was hot, my grandmother always used to drink lemonade.
Yo **tomaba** la medicina a diario, por eso me sentía mejor.
A2I was taking the medicine daily, that's why I felt better.
💡 Grammar Points
Taking vs. Drinking
In Spanish, 'tomar' is used for both 'to take' and 'to drink.' If the thing being 'tomada' is a beverage, it almost always means 'to drink.' ('Tomar un taxi' means 'take a taxi,' but 'tomar un café' means 'drink a coffee.')
'Tomaba' can mean 'was catching' when referring to transportation, depicted here by the person boarding the bus.
tomaba(Verb)
was catching
?transportation
,used to take
?routine transport
was making (a decision)
?abstract concepts
📝 In Action
Antes, él **tomaba** el autobús para ir a trabajar.
A2Before, he used to take the bus to go to work.
La junta **tomaba** decisiones muy importantes cada mes.
B1The board used to make very important decisions every month.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Using 'Hacer' for Decisions
Mistake: "Decir 'hacía una decisión' para 'was making a decision'."
Correction: The correct verb is 'tomar': 'tomaba una decisión'.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
preterite
imperfect
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: tomaba
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence uses 'tomaba' correctly to describe a repeated past action?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between 'tomaba' and 'tomó'?
'Tomaba' is the Imperfect tense, used for ongoing, habitual, or descriptive actions in the past (e.g., 'He used to take'). 'Tomó' is the Preterite tense, used for single, completed actions that happened at a specific point in the past (e.g., 'He took it once').
How do I know if 'tomaba' means 'to take' or 'to drink'?
Look at the object. If the object is a liquid (café, agua, cerveza) or medicine, it means 'to drink/consume.' If the object is a physical item, transportation, or an abstract concept (decisión, medida), it means 'to take/grab.'