vivíamos

Vivíamos is the first-person plural imperfect indicative form of the Spanish verb vivir, meaning “we live” or “we were living” in the past. As an imperfect tense form, it typically expresses ongoing or habitual actions in the past, rather than a completed event.

Formation and scope: The verb vivir is a regular -ir verb. In the imperfect, the endings are -ía, -ías, -ía, -íamos, -íais, -ían. Therefore, vivíamos combines the stem viv- with the ending -íamos to indicate a past, continuous or repeated action by “we.” The form also serves to set scenes, describe past conditions, or convey a sense of duration over a period of time.

Usage: Vivíamos is commonly employed to describe past routines or states, for example, “Cuando éramos niños, vivíamos cerca del río” (When we were children, we lived near the river). It can appear in narrative to provide background information or to contrast with a later action expressed in the preterite. The imperfect contrasts with the preterite tense, which would express a specific, completed past event (e.g., “vivimos allí un año” = we lived there for a year).

Etymology and context: The form derives from vivir, which comes from Latin vivere. The imperfect endings reflect the historical development of Spanish verb conjugation, marking aspect rather than mood. Vivíamos is a standard, widely used form in everyday Spanish, suitable for formal and informal contexts alike.

See also: Spanish verb conjugation, imperfect tense, vivir.