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Conjugation Chart

“Establecer” (to establish) in the Imperfect Tense

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Understanding the Imperfect Tense of “Establecer”

The Imperfect Tense of establecer is used to describe ongoing or repeated actions in the past, for example, Mi abuelo establecía su negocio todas las mañanas. (My grandfather used to set up his business every morning.)

Establecer is a regular -er verb, so its conjugations in the Imperfect Tense follow the regular pattern for this verb type.

How to Use Establecer in the Imperfect Tense

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

Establishing or setting up something: Por ejemplo, mi abuelo establecía un huerto cada primavera (My grandfather used to set up a vegetable garden every spring).

Founding or starting something: Por ejemplo, los colonos establecían nuevos asentamientos en las Américas (The colonists were establishing new settlements in the Americas).

Determining or fixing something: Por ejemplo, el juez establecía las reglas del juicio (The judge was establishing the rules of the trial).

Instituting or imposing something: Por ejemplo, el gobierno establecía nuevos impuestos (The government was instituting new taxes).

Settling or taking up residence: Por ejemplo, los inmigrantes se establecían en barrios étnicos (The immigrants were settling in ethnic neighborhoods).

Colloquial usage (establishing a relationship): Por ejemplo, Juan se estableció con su novia después de un año de novios (Juan settled down with his girlfriend after dating for a year).

Real Life Examples of Establecer in the Imperfect Tense

Yo establecía una rutina para hacer ejercicio todas las mañanas. (I used to establish a routine to exercise every morning.)

Ellos establecían reglas claras para mantener el orden en la oficina. (They used to establish clear rules to maintain order in the office.)

Nosotros establecíamos metas ambiciosas para nuestro proyecto. (We used to set ambitious goals for our project.)

Ella establecía conexiones con personas influyentes en su campo. (She used to establish connections with influential people in her field.)

Tú establecías un buen ambiente para que los niños aprendieran. (You used to establish a good environment for children to learn.)

Él establecía límites saludables en sus relaciones personales. (He used to set healthy boundaries in his personal relationships.)

Ustedes establecían tradiciones familiares durante las fiestas. (You all used to establish family traditions during the holidays.)

Yo establecía un presupuesto mensual para controlar mis gastos. (I used to establish a monthly budget to control my expenses.)

Ellas establecían un ambiente acogedor en su hogar para los invitados. (They used to establish a welcoming atmosphere in their home for guests.)

Nosotros establecíamos objetivos realistas para nuestro negocio. (We used to set realistic goals for our business.)

Él establecía una rutina de estudio constante para prepararse para los exámenes. (He used to establish a consistent study routine to prepare for exams.)

Tú establecías límites claros con tus hijos sobre el uso de la tecnología. (You used to set clear limits with your children about technology use.)

Ustedes establecían reglas básicas de convivencia en su comunidad. (You all used to establish basic rules of coexistence in your community.)

Ella establecía un equilibrio saludable entre el trabajo y la vida personal. (She used to establish a healthy balance between work and personal life.)

Yo establecía una rutina de meditación por las mañanas para reducir el estrés. (I used to establish a morning meditation routine to reduce stress.)

Conjugation Chart with English Translations

Conjugations of Establecer (to establish) 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.