reconocías

Reconocías is the second-person singular form of the pretérito imperfecto de indicativo of the Spanish verb reconocer. It corresponds to “you used to recognize” or “you were recognizing” in English, depending on context. Reconocer means to identify or know someone or something, to acknowledge, or to admit something. The imperfect tense here expresses habitual or ongoing past actions, or a background state in description.

Etymology and senses: Reconocer comes from re- plus conocer, ultimately tracing to Latin cognoscere (to know). The prefix re- conveys a sense of repetition or returning, and the modern range of meanings includes identifying someone, recognizing a situation, and admitting a fact or fault. In addition to recognizing people or voices, the verb is used for acknowledging a truth, or for inspecting or surveying something in historical or formal contexts.

Usage notes: The form appears when the subject is tú in the past and the action is habitual or descriptive. It contrasts with forms such as reconocí (preterite, a single past event), reconozco (present), or reconocer (infinitive). Common collocations include reconocer a alguien, reconocer un error, and reconocer una voz.

Examples: “Cuando era niño, tú reconocías a tus vecinos por la voz.” “Tú reconocías que habías cometido un error.” These illustrate the habitual past sense as well as the notion of acknowledgment in the past.