Arriesgaba

Arriesgaba is the imperfect indicative form of the Spanish verb arriesgar, meaning to risk. It translates to "he/she/you (formal) were risking" and is used to describe ongoing or repeated risk-taking actions in the past. The form can appear in narrative descriptions, habitual past actions, or in reported speech.

Conjugation and form: Arriesgar is a regular -ar verb, and in the imperfect tense it follows the standard endings: yo arriesgaba, tú arriesgabas, él/ella/usted arriesgaba, nosotros arriesgabamos, vosotros arriesgabais, ellos/ellas/ustedes arriesgaban. The stem remains arriesg- with the typical -aba endings. The reflexive form arriesgarse means to risk oneself, as in "se arriesgaba" when the subject is performing the action on or for themselves.

Usage and examples: Arriesgaba is used to depict past risk-taking over a period or as a general description. Examples include: “Durante la misión, él arriesgaba su vida para salvar a otros.” and “En aquel entonces, muchos inversores arriesgaban sus ahorros para participar en el proyecto.” It can also set a scene in storytelling, indicating what a character was willing to risk.

Related forms and notes: The verb arriesgar derives from riesgo (risk). The noun riesgo, the adjective arriesgado, and the reflexive arriesgarse are common related terms. In English, arriesgaba corresponds to “was risking” or “were risking,” depending on the subject.