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Conjugation Chart

“Insistir” (to insist) in the Imperfect Tense

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Understanding the Imperfect Tense of “Insistir”

The Imperfect Tense of insistir is used to describe an ongoing or repeated action in the past, for example: Yo insistía en ir al parque todos los días. (I insisted on going to the park every day.)

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

How to Use Insistir in the Imperfect Tense

The imperfect tense of insistir is used to describe an ongoing or repeated action in the past.

Insisting on something: For example, Yo insistía en que me escucharan. (I insisted that they listen to me.) This meaning conveys persisting or being adamant about something.

Persevering or persisting: For example, Ella insistía en terminar el proyecto a tiempo. (She persisted in finishing the project on time.) This usage implies perseverance or determination.

Emphasizing or stressing: For example, El profesor insistía en la importancia de estudiar. (The teacher emphasized the importance of studying.) This meaning suggests insisting by stressing or underlining something.

Nagging or pestering (colloquial): For example, Mi hermano insistía en que le prestara dinero. (My brother kept nagging me to lend him money.) This informal usage implies insisting in an annoying or bothersome way.

Real Life Examples of Insistir in the Imperfect Tense

Yo insistía en que debíamos tomar un descanso, pero mi jefe no quería escuchar. (I kept insisting that we should take a break, but my boss didn’t want to listen.)

Aunque mi amiga insistía en que fuéramos al cine, preferí quedarme en casa. (Even though my friend kept insisting that we go to the movies, I preferred to stay home.)

El vendedor insistía en que compráramos el paquete más caro, pero no teníamos tanto dinero. (The salesperson kept insisting that we buy the most expensive package, but we didn’t have that much money.)

Mi mamá insistía en que comiera más verduras, aunque no me gustaban mucho. (My mom kept insisting that I eat more vegetables, even though I didn’t like them very much.)

Ellos insistían en que los acompañáramos a la fiesta, pero ya teníamos otros planes. (They kept insisting that we accompany them to the party, but we already had other plans.)

Aunque mi hermano insistía en que jugáramos videojuegos, preferí salir a caminar. (Even though my brother kept insisting that we play video games, I preferred to go for a walk.)

El instructor insistía en que practicáramos más, ya que el examen estaba cerca. (The instructor kept insisting that we practice more, since the exam was coming up.)

Mi cuñada insistía en que fuéramos a cenar a su casa, pero ya habíamos hecho planes. (My sister-in-law kept insisting that we go to dinner at her house, but we had already made plans.)

Aunque mi jefe insistía en que trabajáramos el fin de semana, necesitábamos un descanso. (Even though my boss kept insisting that we work over the weekend, we needed a break.)

El mesero insistía en que probáramos el plato especial del día, pero no teníamos mucha hambre. (The waiter kept insisting that we try the special dish of the day, but we weren’t very hungry.)

Mi tía insistía en que nos quedáramos más tiempo, pero teníamos que regresar a casa. (My aunt kept insisting that we stay longer, but we had to go back home.)

El guía turístico insistía en que visitáramos un museo más, pero ya estábamos cansados. (The tour guide kept insisting that we visit one more museum, but we were already tired.)

Aunque mi amigo insistía en que fuéramos a bailar, preferí quedarme en casa y descansar. (Even though my friend kept insisting that we go dancing, I preferred to stay home and rest.)

El entrenador insistía en que hiciéramos más ejercicio, ya que el torneo se acercaba. (The coach kept insisting that we exercise more, since the tournament was approaching.)

Mi vecina insistía en que adoptáramos un perro, pero no teníamos tiempo para cuidarlo. (My neighbor kept insisting that we adopt a dog, but we didn’t have time to take care of it.)

Conjugation Chart with English Translations

Conjugations of Insistir (to insist) in the Imperfect 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.