Question 1

Why are the verbs ejercía and montaba in the imperfect tense here?

Accepted Answer

This is exactly how tense backshifting works in reported speech! The original speaker likely used the present tense for his direct quote: "I no longer practice (ya no ejerzo) because I am setting up (monto) a new business." Because the reporting verb is in the past (explicó), those present-tense verbs shift "back" a step in time to the imperfect tense (ejercía, montaba).

Question 2

Why does the translation say "practicing"? Doesn't ejercer mean "to exercise"?

Accepted Answer

It can mean to exercise a right or authority, but when used on its own regarding a career, ejercer means "to practice a profession" (commonly said of doctors, lawyers, or architects). If you want to talk about "exercising" for physical fitness, you should use hacer ejercicio or entrenar.

Question 3

I learned that montar means "to ride." Why is it used with a business here?

Accepted Answer

While montar does mean "to ride" (like a horse or a bike), it also commonly means "to assemble," "to put together," or "to set up." Montar un negocio is a very natural, everyday Spanish phrase for "to set up a business" or "to start a company."

Question 4

Just as a refresher, what is the exact difference between ya no and todavía no?

Accepted Answer

Ya no means "no longer" or "not anymore." It tells us an action was happening but has now stopped (he used to practice, but quit). Todavía no means "not yet," which would imply the opposite: he hasn't started practicing, but is expected to in the future.

Él explicó que ya no ejercía, porque montaba un negocio nuevo.

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