The Imperfect Tense of masticar is used to describe ongoing or repeated actions in the past, for example, Yo masticaba la comida lentamente. (I was chewing the food slowly.)

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

Conjugations

Conjugations of Masticar (to chew) in the Imperfect Tense tense (Latin American Spanish):

The imperfect tense of masticar is used to describe an ongoing or repeated action in the past.

Chewing or eating: Por ejemplo, Cuando era niño, masticaba chicle todo el tiempo. (When I was a child, I used to chew gum all the time.) This can also be used figuratively, like Masticaba sus palabras con rabia. (He chewed his words with anger.)

Thinking or pondering: For example, Masticaba la idea de renunciar a su trabajo. (He was pondering the idea of quitting his job.) This usage implies mulling something over for a while.

Chewing out (slang): For example, El jefe me masticaba por llegar tarde. (The boss chewed me out for being late.) This means to scold or reprimand someone harshly.

Examples

Examples of Masticar in the Imperfect Tense

Cuando era niño, masticaba muy lentamente porque no me gustaba la comida. (When I was a child, I chewed very slowly because I didn’t like food.)

Mi abuela masticaba chicle todo el día para mantener su boca ocupada. (My grandmother chewed gum all day to keep her mouth busy.)

El caballo masticaba la hierba fresca del campo. (The horse chewed the fresh grass from the field.)

Siempre masticaba un lápiz cuando estaba nervioso antes de un examen. (I always chewed on a pencil when I was nervous before an exam.)

La vaca masticaba su comida una y otra vez, como es típico de los rumiantes. (The cow chewed its food over and over again, as is typical of ruminants.)

Aunque no tenía hambre, masticaba chicle para mantener la boca fresca. (Even though I wasn’t hungry, I chewed gum to keep my mouth fresh.)

El bebé masticaba su chupete con entusiasmo. (The baby chewed on their pacifier enthusiastically.)

Ella masticaba las uñas cuando estaba estresada, un mal hábito que intentaba romper. (She chewed her nails when she was stressed, a bad habit she was trying to break.)

Nos reíamos porque el perro masticaba un hueso de forma graciosa. (We laughed because the dog chewed on a bone in a funny way.)

Aunque la carne estaba dura, masticaba lentamente para disfrutar de su sabor. (Even though the meat was tough, I chewed slowly to enjoy its flavor.)

El anciano masticaba sus alimentos con cuidado debido a sus problemas dentales. (The elderly man chewed his food carefully due to his dental problems.)

Mientras caminaba, masticaba un chicle de menta para refrescar el aliento. (While walking, I chewed a mint gum to freshen my breath.)

Los críticos gastronómicos masticaban cada bocado con atención para apreciar todos los sabores. (The food critics chewed each bite carefully to appreciate all the flavors.)

Aunque estaba distraído, masticaba su comida por costumbre. (Even though I was distracted, I chewed my food out of habit.)

El atleta masticaba una barra energética durante su entrenamiento para mantenerse fuerte. (The athlete chewed an energy bar during their training to stay strong.)

Conjugations with English Translations

Conjugations of Masticar (to chew) 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.