usaban

Usaban is the third-person plural imperfect indicative form of the Spanish verb usar, meaning "to use." It is used to describe ongoing or habitual actions in the past involving ellos, ellas, or ustedes, rather than completed actions. In narrative, usaban often helps set background or describe routines and repeated practices.

Conjugation and form: Usar is a regular -ar verb, so its imperfect endings are -aba, -abas, -aba, -ábamos, -abais, -aban. Therefore, usaban corresponds to ellos/ellas/ustedes. Related forms include usaba (yo/él), usabas (tú), usábamos (nosotros), usabais (vosotros). The form is widely used in both formal and informal registers.

Usage notes: The imperfect, including usaban, contrasts with the preterite form usaron, which marks a completed action. Usaban can indicate habitual past behavior (e.g., "Cuando eran jóvenes, usaban bicicletas para desplazarse") or provide descriptive background in a past narrative (e.g., "Las herramientas eran antiguas; los artesanos usaban métodos simples"). It is also common in reported speech and literature to convey a past pattern or context.

Etymology: The verb usar comes from the Romance family of languages, with roots in Latin associated with the idea of use or utilization. In Spanish, usar is regular, with usaban as the standard imperfect plural form.

See also: Other imperfect forms of usar, related verbs in the -ar conjugation, and contrasts with usar in formal writing or technical contexts.