Alcanzar imperfect conjugation
Alcanzar in the imperfect: alcanzaba, alcanzabas, alcanzaba, alcanzábamos, alcanzabais, alcanzaban.
- to reach; to catch up with; to be enough
- spelling change (z→c)
- Participle: alcanzado
- Gerund: alcanzando
Imperfect imperfecto
| yo | alcanzaba |
|---|---|
| tú | alcanzabas |
| él/ella/usted | alcanzaba |
| nosotros | alcanzábamos |
| vosotros | alcanzabais |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | alcanzaban |
How to use alcanzar in the imperfect
The imperfect is regular: alcanzaba, alcanzabas, alcanzaba, alcanzábamos, alcanzaban. Use it for ongoing situations in the past, especially money or time that was never enough: Nunca nos alcanzaba el dinero. It also describes things you could or couldn't reach as a habit or background, like a shelf that was always too high when you were a child. In reports on past performance, the imperfect describes a trend rather than a single result: the team usually reached its targets.
Examples
De estudiante nunca me alcanzaba el dinero a fin de mes.
As a student my money never lasted until the end of the month.
No alcanzábamos a ver el escenario desde atrás.
We couldn't see the stage from the back.
El equipo alcanzaba sus metas casi todos los meses.
The team reached its goals almost every month.
Quick check: alcanzar in the imperfect
More alcanzar tenses
- All alcanzar tenses
- Alcanzar present
- Alcanzar preterite
- Alcanzar future
- Alcanzar conditional
- Alcanzar present subjunctive
- Alcanzar affirmative commands
Other verbs in the imperfect
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