Ofertábamos

Ofertábamos is the first-person plural imperfect indicative form of the Spanish verb ofertar. It translates to “we offered” or “we were offering,” and is used to describe past actions that were habitual, ongoing, or not completed at a definite point in time. The term can appear in narrative background, reporting, or marketing descriptions.

Conjugation and usage notes: ofertar is a regular -ar verb, and its imperfect endings are -aba, -abas, -aba, -ábamos, -abais, -aban. Therefore, the form ofertábamos combines the stem ofert- with the ending -ábamos. It typically requires a plural subject such as nosotros or context implying a collective group. Example: Durante la campaña, ofertábamos varios productos a precios promocionales.

Etymology and scope: ofertar derives from the noun oferta, which denotes an offer, proposal, or bid. The noun itself comes from historical terms related to presenting something for consideration. In modern Spanish, ofertar is used mainly in commercial, contractual, or procurement contexts to indicate making an offer, placing a bid, or proposing terms. Its use is common in formal or semi-formal writing and in journalism when describing past marketing activities or negotiations.

Related forms and synonyms: oferta (noun, the offer), ofertar (infinitive, to offer or bid), ofrecíamos (we offered, from ofrecer), and other conjugations for different tenses and persons. Practically, ofertábamos contrasts with ofrecíamos in nuance: ofertar emphasizes presenting an offer or bid, while ofrecer is broader, meaning to offer in general.

Example: La empresa ofertábamos condiciones favorables durante el trimestre, y otras compañías no pudieron igualarlas. (Note: a more natural formulation would use ofertaban or ofrecíamos depending on context.)