compraban

Compraban is the imperfect indicative form of the Spanish verb comprar, meaning "to buy" or "to purchase." It is used with third-person plural subjects (ellos, ellas) and, in many varieties of Spanish, with ustedes as well.

Morphology: For regular -ar verbs, the imperfect endings are -aba, -abas, -aba, -ábamos, -abais, -aban. Therefore, comprar in the third-person plural is "compraban." In Spain, the corresponding form for vosotros is "comprabais," while in Latin America, "compraban" is commonly used with ustedes.

Usage: Compraban expresses actions in the past that were habitual, repeated, or ongoing, without specifying a definite endpoint. It often provides background in a narrative. It contrasts with the preterite "compraron," which signals a completed past action.

Examples:

- Cuando era niño, mi familia compraba pan cada mañana.

- En esa época, ellos compraban regalos para sus hijos durante las fiestas.

In subordinate clauses, it denotes a past context: "Dijo que compraban verduras en el mercado." It can also appear in literature to set a scene or describe habitual past behavior.

See also: comprar; imperfect tense; Spanish verb conjugation.