modificabais

Modificabais is the second-person plural imperfect indicative form of the Spanish verb modificar, meaning to modify. It is used when the subject is vosotros and describes a past action that was ongoing or habitual, for example, “Cuando modificabais el diseño, el proyecto ganaba consistencia.” The form is regular for -ar verbs: the stem modific- combines with the imperfect ending -abais.

In usage, modificabais appears in Spain and other regions where the vosrotro form is standard. In many Latin American varieties, where vosotros is not used, the corresponding meaning is conveyed with ustedes modificaban in the imperfect.

Etymology and related forms: modificar itself stems from the Latin modificare, from modus “manner, measure” and facere “to make.” Modificabais is one of several tense–person combinations tied to the verb’s regular -ar conjugation pattern. Related forms include modificáis (present tense, vosotros), modificaba (imperfect singular), and modificaban (imperfect third-person plural), among others.

Usage notes: The form conveys past activity tied to a plural “you” in contexts where the speaker addresses a group directly as vosotros. It is common in narrative dialogue, instructional texts, and reports written in Spain. In other dialects, authors may substitute with ustedes or rephrase to avoid the vosotros form.

See also: modificar, Spanish verb conjugation, vosotros.