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 Imperfect Tense conjugations follow the typical pattern for this verb type.

Conjugations

Conjugations of Limpiar (to clean) in the Imperfect Tense tense (Latin American 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 mesa después de comer. (I would clear the table after eating.) This meaning involves removing things from a surface or area.

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

Cleaning up a mess: For example, Limpiaba el desastre que hicieron los niños. (I would clean up the mess the kids made.) This meaning involves cleaning up a disordered or messy situation.

Clearing out or emptying: For example, Limpiaba el refrigerador cada semana. (I would clear out the fridge every week.) This usage refers to removing the contents of something.

Clearing land or vegetation (colloquial): For example, Limpiábamos el terreno para construir. (We would clear the land to build.) In some Latin American regions, this verb can mean clearing vegetation from an area.

Examples

Examples of Limpiar in the Imperfect Tense

Yo limpiaba la casa todos los sábados por la mañana. (I used to clean the house every Saturday morning.)

Cuando éramos niños, limpiábamos nuestros cuartos antes de salir a jugar. (When we were kids, we used to clean our rooms before going out to play.)

Ella limpiaba la cocina después de cada comida. (She used to clean the kitchen after every meal.)

Mis padres limpiaban la casa de arriba a abajo cada fin de semana. (My parents used to clean the house from top to bottom every weekend.)

Antes de que tuviéramos una empleada doméstica, limpiábamos todo nosotros mismos. (Before we had a housekeeper, we used to clean everything ourselves.)

Cuando vivía solo, limpiaba mi apartamento una vez por semana. (When I lived alone, I used to clean my apartment once a week.)

En la oficina, limpiábamos nuestros escritorios al final de cada día. (At the office, we used to clean our desks at the end of each day.)

Durante las vacaciones, limpiábamos la casa de playa antes de irnos. (During vacations, we used to clean the beach house before leaving.)

Cada primavera, limpiábamos el patio y la terraza a fondo. (Every spring, we used to thoroughly clean the yard and patio.)

Cuando limpiaba mi habitación, siempre encontraba cosas perdidas. (When I used to clean my room, I always found lost things.)

Los empleados limpiaban la tienda todas las noches después del cierre. (The employees used to clean the store every night after closing.)

En la escuela, limpiábamos el salón de clases por turnos. (At school, we used to clean the classroom in shifts.)

Antes de una fiesta, limpiábamos la casa de arriba a abajo. (Before a party, we used to clean the house from top to bottom.)

Cuando era joven, limpiaba mi cuarto de mala gana. (When I was young, I used to clean my room reluctantly.)

En el restaurante, los meseros limpiaban las mesas después de que los clientes se iban. (At the restaurant, the waiters used to clean the tables after the customers left.)

Conjugations with English Translations

Conjugations of Limpiar (to clean) in the Imperfect Tense 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.