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Cambiar imperfect conjugation

Cambiar in the imperfect: cambiaba, cambiabas, cambiaba, cambiábamos, cambiabais, cambiaban.

  • to change; to exchange; to switch
  • regular
  • Participle: cambiado
  • Gerund: cambiando

Imperfect imperfecto

yocambiaba
túcambiabas
él/ella/ustedcambiaba
nosotroscambiábamos
vosotroscambiabais
ellos/ellas/ustedescambiaban

How to use cambiar in the imperfect

The imperfect is regular: cambiaba, cambiabas, cambiábamos, cambiaban. It describes repeated changes in the past (cambiaba de peinado cada mes) and gradual change as background: el clima cambiaba muy rápido. Use the preterite for a single, completed change and the imperfect for patterns or processes that were going on. The nosotros form cambiábamos carries a written accent, and the i of the stem never does.

Examples

  • De joven cambiaba de peinado cada mes.

    When I was young I changed my hairstyle every month.

  • En la montaña el clima cambiaba muy rápido.

    In the mountains the weather changed very quickly.

  • Antes cambiábamos el aceite del carro cada tres mil kilómetros.

    We used to change the car's oil every three thousand kilometers.

Quick check: cambiar in the imperfect

1. vosotros · Imperfect of cambiar
2. nosotros · Imperfect of cambiar
3. tú · Imperfect of cambiar
4. ellos/ellas/ustedes · Imperfect of cambiar
5. él/ella/usted · Imperfect of cambiar

More cambiar tenses

Other verbs in the imperfect

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