Cobraban

Cobraban is the third-person plural imperfect indicative form of the Spanish verb cobrar, meaning to charge or to collect. It describes an action that was ongoing or repeated in the past, such as charging fees, collecting debts, or setting prices. In narrative use, cobraban often helps establish habitual past activity or describe past practices.

In practical terms, cobraban appears in contexts involving finance, tolls, fines, or taxes, where a group or institution regularly demanded payment. Its imperfect aspect emphasizes the process or routine rather than a completed event. The form is commonly found in historical accounts, reports, and literary passages that depict past economic or administrative activity.

Grammatical notes: cobrar is an -ar verb. Its imperfect endings are -aba, -abas, -aba, -ábamos, -abais, -aban. Therefore, for ellos/ellas/ustedes, the form is cobraban. The corresponding present tense form is cobran, and the preterite form is cobró.

Examples:

- En la feria, cobraban una entrada. (At the fair, they charged an admission fee.)

- Durante la época colonial, cobraban impuestos a las colonias. (During the colonial period, they collected taxes from the colonies.)

- Antes, cuando no había mucho control, cobraban precios muy altos. (Earlier, when there was little oversight, they were charging very high prices.)

Cobraban, as a verb form, thus conveys past, repeated, or habitual charging or collecting actions within Spanish-language texts.