dependíamos

Dependíamos is the first-person plural imperfect indicative form of the Spanish verb depender. It expresses that, in the past, we relied on someone or something, indicating a past state or habitual action. The form corresponds to nosotros dependíamos and is used for ongoing or repeated dependence in the past.

Etymology and morphology: Depender derives from the Latin dependere, formed by de- (from, away) and pendere (to hang, to depend). In Spanish, depender is a regular -er verb, and its imperfect indicative endings are -ía, -ías, -ía, -íamos, -íais, -ían. Therefore dependíamos carries the accent on the í in the stem-ending combination, yielding dependíamos.

Usage: The imperfect de indicativo is used to situate a dependence in a past period without signaling its completion. It often appears with temporal adverbs or phrases such as en aquel entonces, cuando éramos niños, dependíamos de ciertas ayudas o recursos. It can convey a sense of continuity or repetition rather than a single past event, and it should not be confused with the preterite dependimos, which marks a completed, punctual action.

Examples:

- Cuando éramos estudiantes, dependíamos de la beca para cubrir los gastos.

- En aquella época dependíamos de la lluvia para regar los cultivos.

See also: Dependencia (linguistics), Conjugation of depender.