The Imperfect Tense of Limpiar is used to describe ongoing or repeated actions in the past, for example: Yo limpiaba la casa todos los sábados. (I used to clean the house every Saturday.)

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

Conjugations

Conjugations of Limpiar (to clean) in the Imperfect Tense tense (Castilian Spanish):

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

Cleaning or tidying up: For example, Yo limpiaba la casa todos los sábados. (I used to clean the house every Saturday.) This is the most common meaning, referring to the act of making something clean or tidy.

Clearing or removing: For example, Limpiaba la nieve del camino. (I was clearing the snow from the path.) This meaning involves removing something unwanted or obstructive.

Polishing or shining: For example, Limpiaba los zapatos antes de salir. (I polished the shoes before going out.) This usage refers to making something shiny or lustrous.

Wiping or cleaning a surface: For example, Limpiaba la mesa después de comer. (I wiped the table after eating.) This meaning involves cleaning a surface by wiping or removing dirt or debris.

Clearing or cleaning out (figurative): For example, La nueva ley limpiaba la corrupción del sistema. (The new law was cleaning out corruption from the system.) This figurative usage refers to removing or eliminating something undesirable or problematic.

Clearing or settling (financial): For example, Limpiaba mis deudas poco a poco. (I was clearing my debts little by little.) This meaning involves paying off or settling financial obligations.

Examples

Examples of Limpiar in the Imperfect Tense

Cuando era niño, limpiaba mi habitación todos los sábados. (When I was a child, I used to clean my room every Saturday.)

Mi abuela limpiaba la casa a fondo cada primavera. (My grandmother would do a thorough cleaning of the house every spring.)

Antes de salir de viaje, limpiábamos el carro por dentro y por fuera. (Before going on a trip, we would clean the car inside and out.)

En la oficina, limpiábamos nuestros escritorios al final de cada semana. (At the office, we would clean our desks at the end of each week.)

Después de una fiesta, limpiábamos todo el desorden que quedaba. (After a party, we would clean up all the mess that was left.)

Mis padres limpiaban la cocina después de cada comida. (My parents would clean the kitchen after every meal.)

Cuando limpiaba el baño, usaba guantes de goma. (When I cleaned the bathroom, I would use rubber gloves.)

En la escuela, los estudiantes limpiaban el salón de clases por turnos. (At school, the students would clean the classroom in shifts.)

Antes de una inspección, limpiábamos a fondo el taller. (Before an inspection, we would thoroughly clean the workshop.)

Cada vez que limpiaba la casa, ponía música para hacer la tarea más amena. (Whenever I cleaned the house, I would put on music to make the task more enjoyable.)

Los empleados limpiaban las mesas del restaurante después de que los clientes se iban. (The employees would clean the restaurant tables after the customers left.)

Cuando limpiábamos el ático, encontrábamos cosas interesantes del pasado. (When we cleaned the attic, we would find interesting things from the past.)

En el hotel, las camareras limpiaban las habitaciones todos los días. (At the hotel, the maids would clean the rooms every day.)

Después de una mudanza, limpiábamos el apartamento anterior de arriba a abajo. (After a move, we would clean the previous apartment from top to bottom.)

Cada vez que limpiaba la ventana, disfrutaba de la vista al exterior. (Whenever I cleaned the window, I would enjoy the view outside.)

Conjugations with English Translations

Conjugations of Limpiar (to clean) 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.