The Imperfect Tense of contestar is used to describe ongoing or repeated actions in the past, for example, Contestaba las preguntas del profesor en clase. (I used to answer the teacher’s questions in class.)

Contestar is a regular -ar verb, so its Imperfect conjugations follow the typical pattern for that verb type.

Conjugations

Conjugations of Contestar (to answer) in the Imperfect Tense tense (Castilian Spanish):

The imperfect tense of contestar is used to describe ongoing or repeated actions in the past.

Answering or responding: For example, Cuando era niño, siempre contestaba las preguntas de la maestra. (When I was a child, I always answered the teacher’s questions.)

Replying or responding to something: For example, Cada vez que me llamaban, contestaba el teléfono. (Whenever they called me, I answered the phone.)

Talking back or being rude (colloquial): For example, Mi hijo me contestaba de mala manera cuando le pedía que hiciera sus tareas. (My son talked back to me rudely when I asked him to do his homework.)

Examples

Examples of Contestar in the Imperfect Tense

Yo contestaba las llamadas telefónicas en la oficina. (I used to answer the phone calls at the office.)

Ellos contestaban las preguntas del profesor con entusiasmo. (They would answer the teacher’s questions enthusiastically.)

Tú contestabas los correos electrónicos de manera rápida y eficiente. (You used to reply to emails quickly and efficiently.)

Nosotros contestábamos las encuestas con honestidad. (We would answer the surveys honestly.)

Ustedes contestaban las preguntas de los clientes con paciencia. (You all used to answer the customers’ questions patiently.)

Ella contestaba el teléfono con una voz amable. (She would answer the phone with a friendly voice.)

Vosotros contestabais los mensajes de texto de inmediato. (You all used to reply to text messages immediately.)

Él contestaba las preguntas del examen con nerviosismo. (He would answer the exam questions nervously.)

Nosotras contestábamos las preguntas del público con confianza. (We used to answer the audience’s questions confidently.)

Tú contestabas las llamadas de tu jefe con respeto. (You used to answer your boss’s calls respectfully.)

Ellos contestaban las preguntas de los periodistas con cautela. (They would answer the journalists’ questions cautiously.)

Yo contestaba las preguntas de mi hijo con paciencia. (I used to answer my son’s questions patiently.)

Ustedes contestaban las encuestas en línea con honestidad. (You all used to answer online surveys honestly.)

Ella contestaba las preguntas de sus compañeros de clase con claridad. (She would answer her classmates’ questions clearly.)

Vosotros contestabais las preguntas del juego con entusiasmo. (You all used to answer the game’s questions enthusiastically.)

Conjugations with English Translations

Conjugations of Contestar (to answer) 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.