The Imperfect Tense of Recomendar is used to describe recommendations that were ongoing or repeated in the past, for example, Yo te recomendaba esos libros. (I used to recommend those books to you.)
Recomendar is a regular -ar verb, so its Imperfect Tense conjugations follow the typical pattern for that verb type.
Conjugations
Conjugations of Recomendar (to recommend) in the Imperfect Tense tense (Latin American Spanish):
| Pronoun | Conjugation |
|---|---|
| Yo | recomendaba |
| Tú | recomendabas |
| Él / Ella / Usted | recomendaba |
| Nosotros / Nosotras | recomendábamos |
| Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes | recomendaban |
Boost Your Memorization with Audio!
We’ve included audio recordings of the the conjugations of Recomendar (to recommend) 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 Recomendar in the Imperfect Tense
The imperfect tense of recomendar is used to describe recommendations or suggestions that were made repeatedly or habitually in the past.
Suggesting or recommending something: Por ejemplo, mi abuela siempre me recomendaba comer más verduras. (My grandmother always used to recommend that I eat more vegetables.)
Advising or counseling: Por ejemplo, el médico le recomendaba hacer ejercicio con regularidad. (The doctor used to recommend that he exercise regularly.)
Proposing or putting forward an idea: Por ejemplo, en las reuniones, ella recomendaba nuevas estrategias de marketing. (In meetings, she used to recommend new marketing strategies.)
Endorsing or approving something: Por ejemplo, los críticos recomendaban esa película a todo el mundo. (The critics used to recommend that movie to everyone.)
Suggesting or urging someone to do something (colloquial): Por ejemplo, mi amigo siempre me recomendaba ir a esa fiesta. (My friend always used to recommend that I go to that party.)
Examples
Examples of Recomendar in the Imperfect Tense
Mi abuela siempre recomendaba comer frutas y verduras frescas. (My grandmother always recommended eating fresh fruits and vegetables.)
El entrenador recomendaba hacer ejercicio con regularidad para mantenerse en forma. (The coach recommended exercising regularly to stay in shape.)
Antes de viajar, mi amigo recomendaba aprender algunas frases básicas en el idioma local. (Before traveling, my friend recommended learning some basic phrases in the local language.)
La doctora recomendaba dormir al menos 8 horas por noche para una buena salud. (The doctor recommended sleeping at least 8 hours per night for good health.)
Ellos recomendaban leer los términos y condiciones antes de firmar cualquier contrato. (They recommended reading the terms and conditions before signing any contract.)
Yo recomendaba probar la comida típica de la región cuando viajábamos. (I recommended trying the typical food of the region when we traveled.)
El profesor recomendaba estudiar un poco cada día en lugar de dejar todo para el último minuto. (The teacher recommended studying a little every day instead of leaving everything until the last minute.)
Mis padres recomendaban ahorrar dinero para el futuro desde una edad temprana. (My parents recommended saving money for the future from an early age.)
La guía turística recomendaba visitar los lugares históricos para aprender sobre la cultura local. (The tour guide recommended visiting historical sites to learn about the local culture.)
Ella recomendaba practicar la meditación para reducir el estrés y la ansiedad. (She recommended practicing meditation to reduce stress and anxiety.)
Nosotros recomendábamos tomar precauciones de seguridad cuando viajábamos a ciertas áreas. (We recommended taking safety precautions when traveling to certain areas.)
El mecánico recomendaba cambiar el aceite del auto cada 5,000 kilómetros. (The mechanic recommended changing the car’s oil every 5,000 kilometers.)
Mi hermana recomendaba leer libros de autoayuda para el crecimiento personal. (My sister recommended reading self-help books for personal growth.)
El chef recomendaba usar ingredientes frescos y de temporada para obtener los mejores sabores. (The chef recommended using fresh, seasonal ingredients to get the best flavors.)
Ellas recomendaban mantener una actitud positiva y optimista en la vida. (They recommended maintaining a positive and optimistic attitude in life.)
Conjugations with English Translations
Conjugations of Recomendar (to recommend) in the Imperfect Tense tense (Latin American Spanish) with English Translations:
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| Yo recomendaba | I was recommending |
| Tú recomendabas | You were recommending |
| Él / Ella / Usted recomendaba | He / She / You was recommending |
| Nosotros / Nosotras recomendábamos | We were recommending |
| Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes recomendaban | They / You all were recommending |
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.