Hablar (to speak) · Imperfect
By TutorLily Editorial Team · Last updated
Hablar in the Spanish imperfect (pretérito imperfecto) is: yo hablaba, tú hablabas, él/ella/usted hablaba, nosotros/as hablábamos, vosotros/as hablabais, ellos/ellas/ustedes hablaban. The imperfect of hablar is the model regular -ar imperfect. All forms take -aba endings, with the only written accent on 'hablábamos' (nosotros — proparoxytone).
| To Speak | Hablar |
|---|---|
| I used to speak | yo hablaba |
| you used to speak | tú hablabas |
| he/she used to speak | él/ella/usted hablaba |
| we used to speak | nosotros/as hablábamos |
| you used to speak | vosotros/as hablabais |
| they used to speak | ellos/ellas/ustedes hablaban |
Hablar (to speak) in context
Sentences that use hablar in the imperfect. Tap each to hear it.
As a child, I used to speak Spanish with my grandparents.
You used to talk a lot when you were nervous.
My mother used to talk in her sleep some nights.
We used to talk for hours on the phone.
You all used to talk at the same time at the table.
The neighbors used to talk about the new store.
Working with the imperfect
The imperfect paints the background of a past scene: weather, age, habits, descriptions, ongoing actions that get interrupted. "Era de noche" (it was nighttime), "tenía cinco años" (I was five years old), "iba al parque cuando me llamaste" (I was going to the park when you called me). Only three verbs are irregular in the imperfect — ser (era), ir (iba), and ver (veía). Every other Spanish verb is regular here, which makes the imperfect one of the easiest tenses to learn.
Frequently asked questions
How do you conjugate hablar in the imperfect?
When do I use 'hablaba' instead of 'hablé'?
Is hablar's imperfect ever irregular?
Practice Hablar (To Speak) in real conversations
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