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Conjugation Chart of “Colocar” (to place) in the Imperfect Tense

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Understanding the Imperfect Tense of “Colocar”

The Imperfect Tense of colocar is used to describe ongoing or repeated actions in the past, for example, Yo colocaba los libros en el estante. (I used to place the books on the shelf.)

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

How to Use Colocar in the Imperfect Tense

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

To place or put something somewhere: For example, Colocaba los libros en el estante. (I was placing/putting the books on the shelf.)

To position or arrange something: For example, Colocábamos las sillas alrededor de la mesa. (We were arranging the chairs around the table.)

To locate or situate something: For example, La casa se colocaba en lo alto de la colina. (The house was situated on top of the hill.)

To place or put someone in a job or position (colloquial): For example, Mi tío me colocaba en su empresa cada verano. (My uncle would get me a job at his company every summer.)

To get a job or position (colloquial): For example, Después de graduarme, me colocaba en un buen trabajo. (After graduating, I got myself a good job.)

Real Life Examples of Colocar in the Imperfect Tense

Yo colocaba los libros en el estante con cuidado. (I was placing the books on the shelf carefully.)

Ella colocaba las flores en un florero para decorar la mesa. (She was putting the flowers in a vase to decorate the table.)

Nosotros colocábamos las maletas en el maletero del carro antes de salir de viaje. (We were putting the suitcases in the trunk of the car before leaving on a trip.)

Tú colocabas los platos en la mesa mientras yo preparaba la comida. (You were setting the plates on the table while I prepared the food.)

Ellos colocaban las sillas alrededor de la fogata para contar historias de terror. (They were placing the chairs around the campfire to tell scary stories.)

¿Colocabas tus pertenencias en el mismo lugar todas las noches? (Were you putting your belongings in the same place every night?)

Cuando era niño, colocaba mis juguetes en orden después de jugar. (When I was a child, I was putting my toys in order after playing.)

La mesera colocaba los cubiertos y servilletas en la mesa antes de que llegaran los clientes. (The waitress was placing the utensils and napkins on the table before the customers arrived.)

Mi amigo colocaba sus apuntes en una carpeta para mantenerlos organizados. (My friend was putting their notes in a folder to keep them organized.)

En la oficina, colocábamos los archivos en cajas para facilitar la mudanza. (At the office, we were putting the files in boxes to facilitate the move.)

Cada mañana, colocaba mi billetera y llaves en el mismo lugar para no perderlas. (Every morning, I was putting my wallet and keys in the same place so I wouldn’t lose them.)

Los trabajadores colocaban las señales de tráfico en las calles para advertir a los conductores. (The workers were placing the traffic signs on the streets to warn drivers.)

Mamá colocaba las toallas limpias en el baño después de lavarlas. (Mom was putting the clean towels in the bathroom after washing them.)

Durante la fiesta, colocábamos los regalos en una mesa para que todos los vieran. (During the party, we were putting the gifts on a table so everyone could see them.)

En la cocina, colocaba los ingredientes en un tazón antes de mezclarlos. (In the kitchen, I was putting the ingredients in a bowl before mixing them.)

Conjugation Chart with English Translations

Conjugations of Colocar (to place) 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.