fracasaba

Fracasaba is the imperfect indicative form of the Spanish verb fracasar, meaning to fail or be unsuccessful in relation to a goal, plan, or venture. The imperfect tense expresses past actions without specifying endpoints, and is often used to indicate ongoing, repeated, or background situations in narration.

Etymology and usage notes: the verb fracasar derives from the noun fracaso, meaning “failure.” The exact origin of fracaso is uncertain, but the pair fracasar/fracaso has long been established in Spanish to describe unsuccessful efforts. Fracasaba, as part of the imperfect, is commonly used to describe past patterns of failure or conditions that persisted over time, rather than a single completed event.

Conjugation and examples: in the imperfect, the forms are: yo fracasaba, tú fracasabas, él fracasaba, nosotros fracasábamos, vosotros fracasabais, ellos fracasaban. Examples: “El proyecto fracasaba una y otra vez” and “Cuando fracasaba el experimento, buscaban nuevas condiciones.” The imperfect contrasts with the preterite fracassó, which signals a completed failure, and with fracaso, the noun for a single failure.

Related terms: fracasar is the verb; fracaso is the corresponding noun meaning failure; fracasado or fracasada can function as an adjective meaning “failed” or as a noun meaning a person who has failed in a venture in some contexts.

See also: fracasar, fracaso, fracasos, fracasado.