Contar imperfect conjugation
Contar in the imperfect: contaba, contabas, contaba, contábamos, contabais, contaban.
- to count; to tell (a story); to count on
- stem-changing (o→ue)
- Participle: contado
- Gerund: contando
Imperfect imperfecto
| yo | contaba |
|---|---|
| tú | contabas |
| él/ella/usted | contaba |
| nosotros | contábamos |
| vosotros | contabais |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | contaban |
How to use contar in the imperfect
The imperfect of contar is regular: contaba, contabas, contaba, contábamos, contaban. Use it for repeated storytelling ("Mi mamá me contaba cuentos") and for what someone had or relied on in the past: "Antes contábamos con más personal." It also sets the scene for a story. There is no stem change in this tense.
Examples
Mi mamá me contaba cuentos antes de dormir.
My mom used to tell me stories before bed.
Antes contábamos con más personal en el turno de noche.
We used to have more staff on the night shift.
Me contaba que extrañaba su país.
He used to tell me he missed his country.
Quick check: contar in the imperfect
More contar tenses
- All contar tenses
- Contar present
- Contar preterite
- Contar future
- Contar conditional
- Contar present subjunctive
- Contar affirmative commands
Other verbs in the imperfect
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