The Imperfect Tense of doblar is used to describe ongoing or repeated actions in the past, for example, Yo doblaba la ropa todos los domingos. (I used to fold the clothes every Sunday.)
Doblar is a regular -ar verb, so its conjugations in the Imperfect Tense follow the typical pattern for this verb type.
Conjugations
Conjugations of Doblar (to fold, turn) in the Imperfect Tense tense (Latin American Spanish):
Pronoun | Conjugation |
---|---|
Yo | doblaba |
Tú | doblabas |
Él / Ella / Usted | doblaba |
Nosotros / Nosotras | doblábamos |
Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes | doblaban |
Boost Your Memorization with Audio!
We’ve included audio recordings of the the conjugations of Doblar (to fold, turn) in the Imperfect Tense to help you learn faster.
Pro Tip: Play the audio on a loop as you study the chart. This repetition will solidify the correct conjugations in your memory.
Usage of Doblar in the Imperfect Tense
The imperfect tense of doblar is used to describe ongoing or repeated actions in the past.
To fold or bend: For example, Yo doblaba las servilletas antes de poner la mesa. (I used to fold the napkins before setting the table.)
To turn a corner: For example, Siempre doblaba a la izquierda en esa esquina. (I always used to turn left at that corner.)
To double (in number or amount): For example, Los precios doblaban cada año. (The prices used to double every year.)
To dub (a movie or show): For example, En ese estudio, doblaban todas las películas extranjeras. (In that studio, they used to dub all foreign movies.)
Colloquial: To earn or make money: For example, Doblaba como repartidor de pizzas cuando era estudiante. (I used to earn money as a pizza delivery guy when I was a student.)
Examples
Examples of Doblar in the Imperfect Tense
Yo doblaba las servilletas de papel en formas de animales para entretener a mis hijos. (I used to fold the paper napkins into animal shapes to entertain my kids.)
Ella doblaba la ropa recién lavada con mucho cuidado. (She used to fold the freshly washed clothes very carefully.)
Nosotros doblábamos las mangas de nuestras camisas por el calor. (We used to roll up the sleeves of our shirts because of the heat.)
Tú doblabas las esquinas de las páginas del libro para marcar tu lugar. (You used to fold the corners of the book pages to mark your place.)
Ellos doblaban las toallas de playa después de usarlas. (They used to fold the beach towels after using them.)
Cuando era niño, doblaba aviones de papel y los lanzaba por la casa. (When I was a kid, I used to fold paper airplanes and throw them around the house.)
Mi abuela doblaba la masa para hacer tortillas a mano. (My grandma used to fold the dough to make tortillas by hand.)
En la clase de origami, doblábamos el papel de colores en formas increíbles. (In the origami class, we used to fold the colored paper into amazing shapes.)
Él doblaba cuidadosamente los mapas después de usarlos. (He used to carefully fold the maps after using them.)
Antes de irnos de camping, doblábamos las tiendas de campaña para que cupieran en las mochilas. (Before going camping, we used to fold the tents so they would fit in the backpacks.)
Cuando era adolescente, doblaba los pantalones para que parecieran más cortos. (When I was a teenager, I used to roll up my pants to make them look shorter.)
Mi mamá doblaba las sábanas con mucha paciencia después de lavarlas. (My mom used to fold the sheets very patiently after washing them.)
En la panadería, los empleados doblaban las bolsas de papel para meter el pan. (At the bakery, the employees used to fold the paper bags to put the bread in.)
Cuando viajábamos, doblábamos la ropa para que cupiera en las maletas pequeñas. (When we traveled, we used to fold the clothes so they would fit in the small suitcases.)
Mis amigos y yo doblábamos las cartas para hacer avioncitos de papel y lanzarlos. (My friends and I used to fold the cards to make paper airplanes and throw them.)
Conjugations with English Translations
Conjugations of Doblar (to fold, turn) in the Imperfect Tense tense (Latin American Spanish) with English Translations:
Spanish | English |
---|---|
Yo doblaba | I was folding |
Tú doblabas | You were folding |
Él / Ella / Usted doblaba | He / She / You was folding |
Nosotros / Nosotras doblábamos | We were folding |
Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes doblaban | They / You all were folding |
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.