Olvidábamos

Olvidábamos is the imperfect indicative form of the Spanish verb olvidar, used with the nosotros (we) subject. It conveys past actions or states that were habitual, repeated, or ongoing, such as things we used to forget or were in the habit of forgetting. In narrative, it often implies a background or descriptive temporal frame rather than a single completed event.

Grammatically, olvidar is a regular -ar verb. Its imperfect tense forms include: yo olvidaba, tú olvidabas, él/ella olvidaba, nosotros olvidábamos, vosotros olvidabais, ellos olvidaban. The imperfect contrasts with the preterite form olvidar, which would describe a specific, completed forgetting event.

Usage and nuance: olvidábamos commonly appears to describe routines or repeated forgetfulness in the past, or to set scene in a story. It can take direct objects as with any transitive verb (olvidábamos las llaves, olvidábamos las promesas) and may be used with time expressions like siempre, a menudo, cuando éramos niños. It can also appear in phrases reflecting memory lapses or the act of failing to recall something over a period.

Etymology and related forms: olvidar comes from the Spanish verb oríginating in Latin oblīvīscī, meaning to forget. Related nouns and verbs include el olvido (forgetfulness), olvidar (to forget), and olvidarse (to forget, reflexive form). Cognates exist in other Romance languages, such as olvidar in Spanish, oublier in French, dimenticare in Italian.

See also: olvidar, olvido, olvidarse.