The Imperfect Tense of comenzar is used to describe actions that were ongoing or repeated in the past, for example, Yo comenzaba a estudiar español cuando vivía en México. (I was beginning to study Spanish when I lived in Mexico.)

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

Conjugations

Conjugations of Comenzar (to begin) in the Imperfect Tense tense (Latin American Spanish):

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

Expressing an action in progress: For example, Yo comenzaba a estudiar cuando sonó el timbre. (I was starting to study when the bell rang.)

Describing habitual or repeated actions: For example, Cada mañana, ella comenzaba su rutina con una taza de café. (Every morning, she would start her routine with a cup of coffee.)

Expressing an action that was about to happen: For example, El equipo comenzaba el partido cuando empezó a llover. (The team was about to start the game when it started to rain.)

Colloquial usage (slang or idiomatic): For example, ¡Comenzaba a enojarme con tanta interrupción! (I was starting to get angry with so many interruptions!)

Examples

Examples of Comenzar in the Imperfect Tense

Yo comenzaba a estudiar español cuando tenía 20 años. (I began studying Spanish when I was 20 years old.)

Ellos comenzaban a preparar la cena alrededor de las seis de la tarde. (They began preparing dinner around six in the evening.)

Ella comenzaba a sentirse cansada después de un largo día de trabajo. (She began feeling tired after a long day at work.)

Nosotros comenzábamos a empacar nuestras maletas un día antes del viaje. (We began packing our suitcases a day before the trip.)

Tú comenzabas a practicar yoga por las mañanas para relajarte. (You began practicing yoga in the mornings to relax.)

El equipo comenzaba a entrenar desde temprano para la gran competencia. (The team began training early for the big competition.)

Mis amigos y yo comenzábamos a planear nuestras vacaciones con mucha anticipación. (My friends and I began planning our vacations well in advance.)

La empresa comenzaba a contratar más personal para el proyecto nuevo. (The company began hiring more staff for the new project.)

Los niños comenzaban a jugar en el parque después de la escuela. (The kids began playing at the park after school.)

Él comenzaba a buscar un nuevo trabajo porque no estaba satisfecho con el actual. (He began looking for a new job because he wasn’t satisfied with his current one.)

Ellas comenzaban a cocinar platillos tradicionales para las fiestas familiares. (They began cooking traditional dishes for family celebrations.)

Nosotros comenzábamos a leer un libro nuevo cada mes para mantenernos actualizados. (We began reading a new book every month to keep ourselves updated.)

Tú comenzabas a aprender un nuevo idioma para mejorar tus oportunidades laborales. (You began learning a new language to improve your job opportunities.)

La ciudad comenzaba a prepararse para el festival anual de música y arte. (The city began preparing for the annual music and art festival.)

Ellos comenzaban a ahorrar dinero para su futura jubilación. (They began saving money for their future retirement.)

Conjugations with English Translations

Conjugations of Comenzar (to begin) in the Imperfect Tense tense (Latin American Spanish) with English Translations:

This post covers Latin American Spanish. For Castilian 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.