deteriorava

Deteriorava is a Portuguese verb form, the imperfect indicative of deteriorar, which means to deteriorate or to become worse. The term is used to describe a past, ongoing, or habitual process of decline in condition, quality, or function.

In usage, deteriorar refers to physical decay, wear, or a decline in quality, as well as moral or abstract degradation. The imperfect tense deteriorava expresses that the deterioration was happening over time in the past, rather than indicating a single completed event. It is commonly found in narrative and descriptive contexts, especially when detailing gradual changes or long-running situations. Examples of the form in context include: "O piso deteriorava-se com o tempo" and "As condições deterioravam-se devido à negligência." Because Portuguese allows subject pronouns with the verb, deteriorava can align with ele/ela/você (ele deteriorava; você deteriorava) or with eu (eu deteriorava) depending on the subject.

Conjugation note: deteriorava is the singular imperfect form; the corresponding plural would be "deteriorávamos" (nós deteriorávamos) and "deterioravam" (eles deterioravam). The verb also yields related forms such as deteriorado (participio passado, deteriorado – deteriorated), deterioração (noun: deterioration), and deteriorante (adjective or noun: deteriorating agent).

Etymology and related terms: deteriorar comes from a Latin root meaning to make worse, with the noun deterioration corresponding to Portuguese deterioração. The word has cognates in other Romance languages, mirroring the same semantic field of decline and decay.

See also: deterioração, deteriorado, deteriorante, deteriorar-se.