Andaba

Andaba is the imperfect indicative form of the Spanish verb andar, meaning to walk, go, or move. It is used to describe past actions or states that were ongoing or habitual, similar to English “was walking” or “used to walk.” In everyday speech, andaba can refer to physical movement—such as “andaba por la ciudad”—as well as figurative movement, for example in expressions like “andaba buscando” (I was looking around) or “andaba dando vueltas” (I was circling about). The nuance conveyed by andaba often points to duration, background activity, or a non‑completed action within a past narrative.

Etymology: andar is a Romance-language verb with cognates in Portuguese (andar) and Italian (andare). Its origins lie in older movement-related roots in the Romance language family, preserving the core sense of moving or going.

Usage notes: andaba appears across Spanish-speaking dialects and is common in narrative and conversational registers. It inflects for person and number, for example: yo andaba, tú andabas, él/ella andaba, nosotros andábamos, vosotros andabais, ellos andaban. As a component of composite expressions, it frequently contributes to a sense of ongoing activity in the past.

Other uses: andaba is primarily a verbal form, and is not widely recognized as a standalone noun or concept in standard references. It may, in some local contexts, appear as part of idioms or as a proper noun (such as a surname or place name), but such uses are region-specific and uncommon.