The Imperfect Tense of saludar is used to describe ongoing or repeated greetings in the past, for example, Yo saludaba a mis vecinos todas las mañanas. (I used to greet my neighbors every morning.)
Saludar is a regular -ar verb, so its Imperfect conjugations follow the typical pattern for that verb type.
Conjugations
Conjugations of Saludar (to greet) in the Imperfect Tense tense (Latin American Spanish):
Pronoun | Conjugation |
---|---|
Yo | saludaba |
Tú | saludabas |
Él / Ella / Usted | saludaba |
Nosotros / Nosotras | saludábamos |
Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes | saludaban |
Boost Your Memorization with Audio!
We’ve included audio recordings of the the conjugations of Saludar (to greet) 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 Saludar in the Imperfect Tense
The imperfect tense of saludar is used to describe ongoing or repeated actions in the past.
Greeting someone: For example, Yo te saludaba cada mañana cuando pasabas por mi casa. (I used to greet you every morning when you passed by my house).
Saying hello: For example, Siempre saludábamos a los vecinos cuando los veíamos. (We always used to say hello to the neighbors when we saw them).
Waving (colloquial): For example, Saludaba a mi amigo desde lejos. (I was waving at my friend from afar).
Flirting (slang): For example, Ese chico siempre me saludaba cuando pasaba. (That guy was always hitting on me when I walked by).
Examples
Examples of Saludar in the Imperfect Tense
Cuando era niño, saludaba a todos mis vecinos con una sonrisa. (When I was a child, I greeted all my neighbors with a smile.)
Mi abuela saludaba a los invitados con un abrazo cálido. (My grandmother greeted the guests with a warm hug.)
En la fiesta, saludábamos a los recién llegados con un brindis. (At the party, we greeted the newcomers with a toast.)
Ella saludaba a su jefe con respeto cada mañana. (She greeted her boss with respect every morning.)
Nosotros saludábamos al nuevo año con fuegos artificiales y celebraciones. (We greeted the new year with fireworks and celebrations.)
Ellos saludaban a los turistas con una gran hospitalidad. (They greeted the tourists with great hospitality.)
Tú saludabas a tus amigos con un choque de puños informal. (You greeted your friends with an informal fist bump.)
En la reunión familiar, saludábamos a los parientes lejanos con un abrazo fraternal. (At the family gathering, we greeted distant relatives with a fraternal hug.)
Él saludaba a su novia con un beso apasionado después de mucho tiempo sin verla. (He greeted his girlfriend with a passionate kiss after a long time without seeing her.)
Yo saludaba a mis compañeros de trabajo con un “¡Buenos días!” alegre. (I greeted my coworkers with a cheerful “Good morning!”)
Las personas mayores saludaban a los recién casados con felicitaciones y buenos deseos. (The elderly greeted the newlyweds with congratulations and well wishes.)
Los fanáticos saludaban a su equipo favorito con vítores y aplausos. (The fans greeted their favorite team with cheers and applause.)
Ella saludaba a su mejor amiga con un chillido de emoción después de no verla por meses. (She greeted her best friend with a squeal of excitement after not seeing her for months.)
Nosotros saludábamos el amanecer con una caminata matutina por la playa. (We greeted the sunrise with a morning walk on the beach.)
Ellos saludaban a los recién llegados al país con una cálida bienvenida y consejos útiles. (They greeted the newcomers to the country with a warm welcome and helpful advice.)
Conjugations with English Translations
Conjugations of Saludar (to greet) in the Imperfect Tense tense (Latin American Spanish) with English Translations:
Spanish | English |
---|---|
Yo saludaba | I was greeting |
Tú saludabas | You were greeting |
Él / Ella / Usted saludaba | He / She / You was greeting |
Nosotros / Nosotras saludábamos | We were greeting |
Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes saludaban | They / You all were greeting |
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.