The Imperfect Tense of actuar is used to describe ongoing or repeated actions in the past, for example, Actuaba en la obra de teatro todos los fines de semana. (I used to perform in the play every weekend.)

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

Conjugations

Conjugations of Actuar (to act) in the Imperfect Tense tense (Castilian Spanish):

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

Ongoing action in the past: For example, Actuaba en una obra de teatro. (I was acting in a play.)

Repeated action in the past: For example, Actuaba en obras de teatro cada verano. (I used to act in plays every summer.)

Description in the past: For example, Actuaba de manera muy convincente. (He/She acted in a very convincing way.)

State of being in the past: For example, Actuaba como un idiota. (He/She was acting like an idiot.)

Colloquial/Slang usage: For example, Actuaba de forma rara. (He/She was acting weird.) This can also imply someone was behaving strangely or suspiciously.

Examples

Examples of Actuar in the Imperfect Tense

Yo actuaba en obras de teatro cuando era niño. (I acted in plays when I was a child.)

Ellos actuaban de manera sospechosa, así que los detuvieron. (They were acting suspiciously, so they were arrested.)

Nosotros actuábamos con cautela ante la situación desconocida. (We were acting cautiously in the unknown situation.)

Tú actuabas de forma valiente durante la emergencia. (You were acting bravely during the emergency.)

Ella actuaba con profesionalidad en su trabajo. (She was acting professionally at her job.)

Vosotros actuabais de manera irresponsable en la fiesta. (You were acting irresponsibly at the party.)

Ustedes actuaban con prudencia ante el peligro. (You were acting prudently in the face of danger.)

Él actuaba como si nada hubiera pasado. (He was acting as if nothing had happened.)

¿Por qué actuabas tan nervioso durante la entrevista? (Why were you acting so nervous during the interview?)

Los actores actuaban con pasión en el escenario. (The actors were acting passionately on stage.)

Mis amigos actuaban de forma extraña, como si me ocultaran algo. (My friends were acting strangely, as if they were hiding something from me.)

La policía actuaba con rapidez para detener al sospechoso. (The police were acting quickly to apprehend the suspect.)

Siempre actuábamos con respeto hacia nuestros mayores. (We always acted with respect towards our elders.)

El equipo actuaba de manera coordinada durante el partido. (The team was acting in a coordinated manner during the match.)

¿Cómo actuabas en situaciones de estrés? (How did you act in stressful situations?)

Conjugations with English Translations

Conjugations of Actuar (to act) 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.