El Tenso Imperfecto The imperfect tense
Imperfecto: When to use it When we want to talk about things that we repeatedly did in the past, we use the imperfect. The imperfect is also used to talk about activities that have no definitive beginning or end. (ex. I played soccer. It wasn't just one day.)
Another Past Tense Yes, we already know a past tense. This is another one! El pretérito talks about actions that we completed in the past, el imperfecto is things that we repeatedly did/did for long periods of time.
Imperfecto v. pretérito Usas el pretérito cuando hablas SAFE en el pasado: Specific instance Action that interrupts Focus on the beginning/end Enclosed period of time
Imperfecto v. pretérito con’t. Usas el imperfecto cuando hablas WATERS en el pasado: Weather Age Time Emotion Repetition Setting
Conjugation Just like other conjugations, we follow the same steps. Step 1: Who are we talking about? Step 2: -ar, -er or -ir verb? Step 3: Cut off infinitive ending Step 4: Add new ending
-AR Verbs Regular -AR verbs are conjugated: yo -aba tu -abas el/ella/usted -aba nosotros -ábamos ellos/ellas/ustedes -aban
Example Bailar (to dance) Yo bailaba Tu bailabas El/Ella/Usted bailaba Nosotros bailábamos Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes bailaban
-ER and -IR Once again, -er and -ir verbs are conjugated the EXACT SAME WAY! yo -ía tu -ías el/ella/usted -ía nosotros -íamos ellos/ellas/ustedes -ían
Example -ER Let's use the verb correr (to run) Yo corría Tu corrías El/Ella/Usted corría Nosotros corríamos Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes corrían
Example -IR Let's use the verb escribir (to write) Yo escribía Tu escribías El/Ella/Usted escribía Nosotros escribíamos Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes escribían
Notes The yo and el/ella/usted form are all conjugated the same for -ar, -er and -ir verbs. -er and -ir verbs have í in all of their conjugated forms. -ar only has á in the nosotros conjugation
¡Pruébalo! Escribe las oraciones en español en el imperfecto: In my childhood, I danced ballet. (bailar) My friends and I played soccer every day. (jugar) My mom cooked dinner every night. (cocinar) My brothers liked to swim. (gustar) You also swam with them. (nadar)