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Conjugation Chart

“Prevenir” (to prevent) in the Imperfect Tense

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Understanding the Imperfect Tense of “Prevenir”

The Imperfect Tense of prevenir is used to describe actions that were ongoing or repeated in the past, for example, Yo prevenía los accidentes al conducir con precaución. (I used to prevent accidents by driving carefully.)

Prevenir follows the standard conjugation pattern for verbs ending in -ir in the Imperfect Tense, with the endings -ía, -ías, -ía, -íamos, -ían.

How to Use Prevenir in the Imperfect Tense

The imperfect tense of prevenir is used to describe actions that were ongoing or repeated in the past.

To prevent or stop something from happening: For example, Yo prevenía los accidentes al conducir con cuidado. (I used to prevent accidents by driving carefully.)

To warn or caution: For example, Mi madre me prevenía sobre los peligros de las drogas. (My mother used to warn me about the dangers of drugs.)

To anticipate or prepare for something: For example, Preveníamos las emergencias con un kit de primeros auxilios. (We used to prepare for emergencies with a first aid kit.)

To take precautions (colloquial): For example, Siempre prevenía trayendo un paraguas por si llovía. (I always took precautions by bringing an umbrella in case it rained.)

Real Life Examples of Prevenir in the Imperfect Tense

Yo prevenía los accidentes al conducir con mucho cuidado. (I used to prevent accidents by driving very carefully.)

Mis padres prevenían las enfermedades al comer muchas frutas y verduras. (My parents used to prevent illnesses by eating lots of fruits and vegetables.)

La compañía prevenía los robos con un sistema de seguridad avanzado. (The company used to prevent thefts with an advanced security system.)

Ellos prevenían los conflictos al comunicarse de manera abierta y honesta. (They used to prevent conflicts by communicating openly and honestly.)

Nosotros preveníamos los incendios al apagar las velas antes de dormir. (We used to prevent fires by blowing out the candles before going to sleep.)

Ella prevenía las discusiones al escuchar atentamente a su pareja. (She used to prevent arguments by listening carefully to her partner.)

Tú prevenías los retrasos al llegar temprano a las citas. (You used to prevent delays by arriving early for appointments.)

Ellas prevenían los problemas de salud al hacer ejercicio regularmente. (They used to prevent health issues by exercising regularly.)

Yo prevenía los malentendidos al expresarme con claridad. (I used to prevent misunderstandings by expressing myself clearly.)

Ustedes prevenían los accidentes al seguir las reglas de seguridad en el trabajo. (You used to prevent accidents by following safety rules at work.)

Él prevenía los problemas financieros al ahorrar una parte de su sueldo cada mes. (He used to prevent financial problems by saving part of his salary each month.)

Nosotros preveníamos los daños al medio ambiente al reciclar y reducir el uso de plásticos. (We used to prevent environmental damage by recycling and reducing plastic use.)

Tú prevenías las discusiones con tus amigos al ser comprensivo y tolerante. (You used to prevent arguments with your friends by being understanding and tolerant.)

Ellos prevenían los problemas legales al cumplir con todas las leyes y regulaciones. (They used to prevent legal issues by complying with all laws and regulations.)

Ella prevenía los conflictos familiares al fomentar la comunicación abierta y el respeto mutuo. (She used to prevent family conflicts by encouraging open communication and mutual respect.)

Conjugation Chart with English Translations

Conjugations of Prevenir (to prevent) in the Imperfect 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.