alcanzabais

Alcanzabais is the second-person plural imperfect indicative form of the Spanish verb alcanzar, meaning to reach or attain. The form expresses past actions or states that were habitual, repeated, or ongoing, rather than completed events. It is commonly used to describe routines or background details in past narratives, or to indicate that a group continually achieved a goal over a period.

Formation and usage: The imperfect endings for -ar verbs in the vosotros form are -abais. Therefore, starting from the stem alcanz-, the form becomes alcanzabais. In regions that use the vosotros form, this is the standard way to say “you all were reaching” or “you all used to reach.” In many Latin American varieties, where the vos form is not used, the corresponding meaning is conveyed with ustedes alcanzaban.

Regional notes: Alcanzabais reflects the traditional voseo and regional conjugation patterns found in Spain and some other countries that maintain the vosotros form. In contexts without vosotros, speakers typically use ustedes alcanzaban to convey the same past habitual sense. Pronunciation of the z in alcanzabais can vary by dialect, with z pronounced as [θ] in parts of Spain or as [s] in many Latin American varieties.

Examples:

- Cuando éramos jóvenes, vosotros alcanzabais las metas propuestas cada año.

- Durante aquellos años, vosotros alcanzabais regularmente los objetivos con esfuerzo y constancia.

See also: Alcanzar, Spanish verb conjugation, Vosotros.