Abandonávamos

Abandonávamos is a verb form in Portuguese, representing the first-person plural of the pretérito imperfeito do indicativo for the verb abandonar. This tense expresses a past action that was ongoing or habitual, translated as “we were abandoning” or “we used to abandon,” depending on context.

Grammatically, abandonar is a regular -ar verb, and abandonávamos is formed from the stem abandon- plus the imperfect endings for nós (íamos). The form is used to describe actions in the past without specifying a definite endpoint, often conveying routine behavior, ongoing states, or repeated events in the past.

Usage and nuance: abandonar can refer to leaving a person, place, object, or responsibility. In the imperfect tense, abandonávamos emphasizes the process or regularity of the action rather than a single, completed act. It can be used in literal contexts, such as leaving a place, or in figurative senses, such as neglecting duties or forsaking a plan or commitment. The choice of this tense helps situate the action in a broader past narrative rather than a specific moment.

Etymology and related forms: abandonar derives from the verb’s prefix and root related to leaving behind. The word has descendants in related Romance languages and appears in various forms across tenses and moods (for example, abandonamos in the present, abandonávamos in the imperfect, abandonaremos in the future).

Examples: Nós abandonávamos o projeto sempre que surgiam dificuldades. Não devíamos abandonar os amigos na hora da crise, e nós abandonávamos o plano após cada falha. These usages illustrate the ongoing or habitual sense of the past.