Spanish Imperfect Tense

10.1 The imperfect tense ANTE TODO ď Ž ď Ž

You have already learned the preterite tense.

The imperfect tense is used to describe past activities in a different way.

10.1 The imperfect tense The imperfect of regular verbs cantar

beber

escribir

yo

cantaba

bebía

escribía

tú

cantabas

bebías

escribías

cantaba

bebía

escribía

cantábamos

bebíamos

escribíamos

bebíais

escribíais

bebían

escribían

SINGULAR FORMS

Ud. / él / ella PLURAL FORMS nosotros/as

vosotros/as cantabais Uds. / ellos / ellas

cantaban

10.1 The imperfect tense 

There are no stem changes in the imperfect. 

entender (e: ie)

Entendíamos japoné s.

We used to understand Japanese.

servir (e:i) el café .



The waiter was serving them

coffee.

doler (o:ue)

El camarero les servía



A Javier le dolía el tobillo.

Javier’s ankle was hurting.

10.1 The imperfect tense ¡ ATENCIÓN! 

Note that the imperfect endings of –er and –ir verbs are the same.



Also note that the nosotros form of –ar verbs always carries an accent mark on the first a of the ending.



All forms of –er and –ir verbs in the imperfect carry an accent on the first i of the ending.

10.1 The imperfect tense 

The imperfect form of hay is había (there was; there were; there used to be).



Like hay, había can be followed by a singular or plural noun.

Había un solo mé dico en la sala.

There was only one doctor in the room.

Había dos pacientes allí.

There were two patients there.

10.1 The imperfect tense Irregular verbs in the imperfect ir

ser

ver

yo

iba

era

veía

tú

ibas

eras

veías

era

veía

SINGULAR FORMS

Ud. / él / ella iba PLURAL FORMS nosotros/as

íbamos

éramos

veíamos

vosotros/as

ibais

erais

veíais

Uds. / ellos / ellas

iban

eran

veían

10.1 The imperfect tense Uses of the imperfect 

The imperfect is used to describe past events in a different way than the preterite.



As a general rule, the imperfect is used to describe actions which are seen by the speaker as incomplete or “continuing,” while the preterite is used to describe actions which have been completed.

10.1 The imperfect tense Uses of the imperfect 

The imperfect expresses what was happening at a certain time or how things used to be. The preterite, in contrast, expresses a completed action.

—¿Qué te pasó ?

—What happened to you?

—Me torcí el tobillo.

—I sprained my ankle.

—¿Dó nde vivías de niñ o?

—Where did you live as a child?

—Vivía en San José .

—I lived in San José

10.1 The imperfect tense Uses of the imperfect 

The following words and expressions are often used with the imperfect because they express habitual or repeated actions: de niñ o/a (as a child) todos los días (every day) mientras (while)

10.1 The imperfect tense Uses of the imperfect 1. Habitual or repeated actions

2. Events or actions that were in progress

3. Physical characteristics

Íbamos al parque los domingos.

We used to go to the park on Sundays.

Yo leía mientras él estudiaba.

I was reading while he was studying.

Era alto y guapo.

He was tall and handsome.

10.1 The imperfect tense Uses of the imperfect 4. Mental or emotional states

5. Time-telling

6. Age

Quería mucho a su familia.

He loved his family very much Eran las tres y media.

It was 3:30.

Los niños tenían seis años.

The children were six years old.

10.1 The imperfect tense ¥ INTÉ NTALO!

Indica la forma correcta de cada verbo en

el imperfecto.

1. Yo _____ (hablar, bailar, recetar, correr, comer, decidir, vivir) 2. TĂş _____ (nadar, encontrar, comprender, venir, ir, ser, ver) 3. Usted _____(hacer, doler, asistir, ser, pasear, poder, ir) 4. Nosotras _____ (ser, tomar, ir, poner, seguir, ver, pensar) 5. Ellos _____(salir, viajar, ir, querer, ser, pedir, empezar) 6. Yo _____ (ver, estornudar, sufrir, ir, dar, ser, toser)