The Imperfect Tense of Soñar is used to describe ongoing or repeated dreams in the past, for example, De niño, soñaba con ser astronauta. (As a child, I used to dream of being an astronaut.)

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

Conjugations

Conjugations of Soñar (to dream) in the Imperfect Tense tense (Castilian Spanish):

The imperfect tense of soñar is used to describe ongoing, repeated, or habitual actions in the past.

Dreaming or imagining: Por ejemplo, de niño soñaba con ser astronauta. (As a child, I dreamed of being an astronaut.) This meaning can also extend to daydreaming or fantasizing about something, like soñaba con ganar la lotería. (I daydreamed about winning the lottery.)

Sleeping and dreaming: For example, anoche soñé que volaba. (Last night I dreamed that I was flying.) This usage refers to the literal act of dreaming while asleep.

Hoping or wishing: For instance, soñaba con encontrar un buen trabajo. (I hoped to find a good job.) This meaning conveys a strong desire or aspiration for something.

Imagining or envisioning: For example, no me soñaba que iba a pasar eso. (I never imagined that would happen.) This usage suggests picturing or conceiving of a hypothetical situation.

Examples

Examples of Soñar in the Imperfect Tense

Cuando era niño, soñaba con ser astronauta. (When I was a child, I dreamed of being an astronaut.)

Ella soñaba con viajar por todo el mundo. (She dreamed of traveling all over the world.)

Mis abuelos soñaban con tener una casa grande para toda la familia. (My grandparents dreamed of having a big house for the whole family.)

¿Soñabas con ser famoso de pequeño? (Did you dream of being famous when you were little?)

Nosotros soñábamos con ganar la lotería y no tener que trabajar más. (We dreamed of winning the lottery and not having to work anymore.)

Ellos soñaban con mudarse a la playa cuando se jubilaran. (They dreamed of moving to the beach when they retired.)

¿Soñabas con ser jugador de fútbol profesional de chico? (Did you dream of being a professional soccer player as a kid?)

Yo soñaba con tener un perro grande y peludo cuando vivía en un apartamento pequeño. (I dreamed of having a big, fluffy dog when I lived in a small apartment.)

Tú soñabas con ser cantante famosa, ¿verdad? (You dreamed of being a famous singer, right?)

Ellas soñaban con abrir su propio restaurante algún día. (They dreamed of opening their own restaurant one day.)

Vosotros soñabais con viajar por toda Europa en mochila. (You dreamed of backpacking across Europe.)

Él soñaba con escribir una novela best-seller. (He dreamed of writing a best-selling novel.)

¿Soñabas con ser bombero o policía de pequeño? (Did you dream of being a firefighter or police officer when you were little?)

Nosotros soñábamos con tener una casa en la montaña para escapar del calor. (We dreamed of having a house in the mountains to escape the heat.)

Ustedes soñaban con ganar mucho dinero y retirarse jóvenes, ¿no? (You dreamed of making a lot of money and retiring young, didn’t you?)

Conjugations with English Translations

Conjugations of Soñar (to dream) in the Imperfect Tense tense (Castilian Spanish) with English Translations:

This post covers Castilian Spanish. For Latin American 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.