impresionar means: to blow away, to impress, to shock
In this lesson we will learn how to conjugate the verb impresionar in the Pretérito Imperfecto tense of the Indicativo mood. It means we will see step by step how to get the following conjugation:
yo | impresionaba | tú | impresionabas | él/ella/usted | impresionaba | nosotros/nosotras | impresionábamos | vosotros/vosotras | impresionabais | ellos/ellas/ustedes | impresionaban |
This lesson is specifically about the impresionar verb conjugation. For a general overview of all the Simple Tenses conjugation see our Simple Tenses Conjugation Chart.
You may also see this Video Presentation on how to conjugate verbs in Pretérito Imperfecto. It’s embedded on the right, but using the above link you may see additional information on conjugation in this tense and explanation of special cases and exceptions.
The aim of these lessons is to explain as much as possible the logic behind exceptions and spelling corrections. That way the amount of material which needs to be learned by heart will be minimal and the learning process will be much more effective. It means learning quicker and with much less effort.
Note the timeline
The ability to correctly locate the intended position on the timeline is a crucial skill for the right use of tenses. So note the timeline in our lessons and visualize it while speaking, listening, writing and reading. After some practice you’ll be able to select the right tense to use much easier.Step by step instructions
Pretérito Imperfecto belongs to the simple tenses group, which means that all of the inflected forms are one word long. There are also compound (compuesto) tenses in Spanish language, where each inflected form consists of two words. The verb impresionar has a completely regular conjugation in the Pretérito Imperfecto tense of the Indicativo mood. It means that this verb simply follows the basic rules for its conjugation group (-ar) without any exceptions or spelling corrections. This tense is really easy, because there are only three irregular verbs! |
The basis for this conjugation is the stem of the verb, so we have to begin by splitting the infinitive into a stem and an ending. It’s really easy to do. Simply remove two letters from the end of the infinitive to get the ending — one of -ar, -er or -ir. What’s left is the stem. So in case of the verb impresionar it’s easy to see that:
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Use the stem impresion- in each subject as the basis for the conjugation, the common prefix or root that each of the forms begins with. |
Next, add to this regular stem the endings specific to each person. Analyze the image showing all six endings. Notice both the colors and shapes of the letters. It should help you find patterns and make it easier to remember these endings. Each grammatical person has a specific ending in each of the three conjugation groups -ar, -er, -ir. |
Add the regular ending -aba for the first person singular to create impresionaba:
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And again add the regular ending -abas for the second person singular to create impresionabas:
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And exactly as previously add the regular ending -aba for the third person singular to create impresionaba:
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And similarly add the regular ending -ábamos for the first person plural to create impresionábamos. |
Note difference in spelling Only the first person plural has an accent here. This difference exists only in case of the verbs from the -ar group. Other groups always have an accented i in the ending in this tense. So add the accent to get impresionábamos:
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And again add the regular ending -abais for the second person plural to create impresionabais:
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And exactly as previously add the regular ending -aban for the third person plural to create impresionaban:
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That’s it! The conjugation is now done. But don’t end your session yet – it’s important to repeat and practice the material in order to remember it. Check below for next steps.
Next Steps
- To practice this conjugation and test yourself check this Conjugation Exercise or the Memory Game
- For exercises and examples related to impresionar visit our Exercise section
- To see conjugation charts in all tenses for impresionar visit the Conjugator
- To explore other learning materials visit the Study section