pensaba

Pensaba is the first and third person singular imperfect indicative form of the Spanish verb pensar. Conjugated in the imperfect, it corresponds to yo pensaba, tú pensabas, él/ella/usted pensaba, nosotros pensábamos, vosotros pensabais, ellos pensaban. The imperfect tense describes ongoing or repeated past actions, states, or background information, rather than a completed act.

In practical use, pensaba expresses past thoughts that were habitual or not finished at a specific moment. It is commonly used to set the scene or describe what someone was thinking over a period of time: “Cuando era niño, pensaba en ser astronauta.” “Pensaba que ya era tarde.” It can also appear in reported speech to convey a belief or impression that existed in the past: “Ella decía que pensaba venir, pero no pudo.”

The imperfect is contrasted with the preterite form pensÉ, which indicates a completed act: “Pensé en esa idea ayer” suggests a moment of deciding, whereas “Pensaba en esa idea todos los días” describes a continuing consideration over time.

Etymology of pensar traces to Latin origins, with related forms in several Romance languages, conveying notions of thinking, weighing, or considering. Pensaba, as a grammatical form, is used across Spanish-speaking regions to describe past mental activity in a non-terminal, habitual, or background sense. See also pensar; imperfect; Spanish verb conjugation.