The Imperfect Tense of cubrir is used to describe ongoing or repeated actions in the past, for example, Yo cubría la mesa con un mantel. (I used to cover the table with a tablecloth.)

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

Conjugations

Conjugations of Cubrir (to cover) in the Imperfect Tense tense (Castilian Spanish):

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

To cover or spread over: Por ejemplo, las nubes cubrían el cielo. (The clouds were covering the sky.)

To protect or shelter: Por ejemplo, el techo nos cubría de la lluvia. (The roof sheltered us from the rain.)

To fill a position or role: Por ejemplo, mi compañero cubría mi turno mientras yo estaba enfermo. (My coworker covered my shift while I was sick.)

To pay for or finance: Por ejemplo, mis ahorros cubrían los gastos de la universidad. (My savings covered the university expenses.)

To cover or conceal (colloquial): Por ejemplo, siempre cubría sus mentiras con más mentiras. (He always covered his lies with more lies.)

Examples

Examples of Cubrir in the Imperfect Tense

Cuando era niño, mi abuela cubría la mesa con un mantel bordado a mano. (When I was a child, my grandmother would cover the table with a hand-embroidered tablecloth.)

El equipo de construcción cubría el piso con láminas de plástico para protegerlo del polvo. (The construction crew would cover the floor with plastic sheets to protect it from dust.)

Durante la tormenta, cubríamos las ventanas con tablas de madera para evitar que se rompieran. (During the storm, we would cover the windows with wooden boards to prevent them from breaking.)

Antes de salir de viaje, cubría los muebles con sábanas para protegerlos del polvo. (Before going on a trip, I would cover the furniture with sheets to protect it from dust.)

En el campo de batalla, los soldados cubrían sus cabezas con cascos para protegerse de las balas. (On the battlefield, the soldiers would cover their heads with helmets to protect themselves from bullets.)

Cuando cubríamos los libros con papel de envolver, mi mamá nos ayudaba a decorarlos. (When we would cover the books with wrapping paper, my mom would help us decorate them.)

El jardinero cubría las plantas delicadas con una manta durante las noches frías. (The gardener would cover the delicate plants with a blanket during the cold nights.)

Vosotros cubríais las ventanas con cortinas oscuras para poder dormir hasta tarde. (You (plural) would cover the windows with dark curtains to be able to sleep in late.)

Ella cubría su rostro con un velo cuando salía a la calle. (She would cover her face with a veil when she went out on the street.)

Ustedes cubrían los muebles con sábanas antes de pintar la habitación. (You (plural) would cover the furniture with sheets before painting the room.)

Yo cubría mi cabeza con una gorra para protegerme del sol. (I would cover my head with a cap to protect myself from the sun.)

En la playa, cubríamos nuestros cuerpos con bloqueador solar para evitar quemaduras. (At the beach, we would cover our bodies with sunscreen to avoid getting sunburned.)

Durante la guerra, los soldados cubrían sus rostros con máscaras antigás. (During the war, the soldiers would cover their faces with gas masks.)

Tú cubrías tus oídos con las manos cuando el ruido era demasiado fuerte. (You would cover your ears with your hands when the noise was too loud.)

Ellos cubrían las paredes con tapices para aislar el frío en invierno. (They would cover the walls with tapestries to insulate from the cold in winter.)

Conjugations with English Translations

Conjugations of Cubrir (to cover) 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.