The Imperfect Tense of notar is used to describe ongoing or repeated actions in the past, for example: Notaba que mi hermano estaba distraído. (I noticed that my brother was distracted.)

Notar is a regular -ar verb, so its conjugations in the Imperfect Tense follow the typical pattern for this verb type.

Conjugations

Conjugations of Notar (to notice) in the Imperfect Tense tense (Castilian Spanish):

The imperfect tense of notar is used to describe ongoing or repeated actions in the past, as well as descriptions and states of being.

To notice or perceive: For example, Notaba que mi hermano estaba triste. (I noticed that my brother was sad.) This meaning conveys the act of becoming aware of something or someone’s state or condition.

To observe or remark: For example, Notaba que el cielo estaba nublado. (I observed that the sky was cloudy.) This usage implies making an observation or comment about a situation or circumstance.

To sense or feel: For example, Notaba un olor extraño en la cocina. (I sensed a strange smell in the kitchen.) This meaning relates to perceiving something through the senses, such as smell, touch, or intuition.

To be noticeable or evident (colloquial): For example, Se notaba que estaba nervioso. (It was noticeable that he was nervous.) In this idiomatic usage, the verb implies that something was clearly visible or evident.

Examples

Examples of Notar in the Imperfect Tense

Yo notaba que mi amigo estaba preocupado por algo. (I noticed that my friend was worried about something.)

Ellos notaban los pequeños detalles en todas partes. (They noticed the small details everywhere.)

Nosotros notábamos que el clima estaba cambiando rápidamente. (We noticed that the weather was changing quickly.)

Tú notabas que tu jefe estaba de mal humor hoy. (You noticed that your boss was in a bad mood today.)

Ella notaba que su hijo estaba distraído en clase. (She noticed that her son was distracted in class.)

Ustedes notaban que el tráfico estaba peor que de costumbre. (You all noticed that the traffic was worse than usual.)

Vosotros notabais que el restaurante estaba lleno de gente. (You all noticed that the restaurant was full of people.)

Él notaba que su novia estaba molesta por algo. (He noticed that his girlfriend was upset about something.)

Yo notaba que mi hermano estaba más callado de lo normal. (I noticed that my brother was quieter than usual.)

Ellas notaban que el ambiente en la oficina era tenso. (They noticed that the atmosphere in the office was tense.)

Nosotros notábamos que el servicio en el restaurante era lento. (We noticed that the service at the restaurant was slow.)

Tú notabas que tu amiga estaba emocionada por su nuevo trabajo. (You noticed that your friend was excited about her new job.)

Él notaba que su equipo estaba jugando mejor que la semana pasada. (He noticed that his team was playing better than last week.)

Ustedes notaban que la película era aburrida. (You all noticed that the movie was boring.)

Vosotros notabais que el concierto estaba a punto de comenzar. (You all noticed that the concert was about to start.)

Conjugations with English Translations

Conjugations of Notar (to notice) in the Imperfect Tense tense (Castilian Spanish) with English Translations:

This post covers Castilian Spanish. For Latin American Spanish, click here

Synonyms

The Imperfect tense is also known as the Past Imperfect, Descriptive Past, Past Progressive, or Imperfect Indicative in English, and as Pretérito Imperfecto, Copretérito, Imperfecto de Indicativo, or Pasado Descriptivo in Spanish.