yo cantaba

used to sing, was singing

k a n ˈt a b a → cantar
cant sing + aba Imperfect past (-ar verbs, 1st/3rd singular)
verb · 1st-person singular / 3rd-person singular, imperfect tense Uncommon #16,616
used to sing, was singing Can also be translated as “sang,” depending on context.
SP: Cuando era niña, cantaba en casa.
EN: When I was a child, I used to sing at home.
Conjugation of cantar
Indicative imperfect
SingularPlural
First cantaba —
Third cantaba cantaban
Subjunctive imperfect
SingularPlural
First cantaba —
Third cantaba cantaban

Yo le cantaba a mi bebé.

I sang to my baby.

Un amigo mío la cantaba en la ciudad.

A friend of mine used to sing it in the city.

— Замри-умри-воскресни! (1990)

Cada noche, un ruiseñor nos cantaba canciones.

Every night, a nightingale sang songs to us.

El mirlo cantaba con nostalgia su canción de atardecer.

The blackbird sang its sunset song with longing.

Claire Sardina cantaba canciones de Patsy Cline.

Claire Sardina sang Patsy Cline songs.

— Song Sung Blue: Sueño inquebrantable (2025)

Cuando ella era pequeña cantaba bien.

She sang well when she was little.

Matoub cantaba en el idioma bereber.

Matoub sang in the Berber language.

Ella cantaba.

She sang.

Porque yo conocía lo que cantaba.

Because I knew what he was singing.

Lo cantaba en bares para seducir mujeres.

He sang it in bars to seduce women.

Él tocaba el piano y ella cantaba.

He played the piano and she sang.

Me parece que la cantaba tu mamá.

I think your mom used to sing it.

— Nueve reinas (2000)

Le gustaba cómo cantaba y todo.

He liked how she sang and everything.

— Song Sung Blue: Sueño inquebrantable (2025)

Todo el mundo cantaba, excepto yo.

Everyone was singing, except me.

Tom cantaba mientras trabajaba.

Tom sang while he worked.

Ella me sonrió mientras cantaba una canción.

She smiled at me while singing a song.

Delante de la fuente una chica tocaba la guitarra y cantaba.

In front of the fountain, a girl was playing the guitar and singing.

Cantaba con melancolía.

She sang with melancholy.

— Vivir (1952)

No era yo quien cantaba.

I wasn't the one singing.

Él cantaba.

He was singing.

La cantaba una chica que estuvo aquí hace mucho tiempo.

It was sung by a girl who was here a long time ago.

— La strada (1954)

Ella tocaba guitarra y él cantaba.

She played guitar and he sang.

Ella cantaba bien de niña.

She sang well as a child.

Cantaba mientras trabajaba.

She sang while she worked.

Sounds similar to