The Imperfect Tense: Regular Verbs Page 194 Realidades 2

Preterite You have already learned to talk about the past using the preterite tense for actions that began and ended at a definite time.

Preterite Ana cantó en la fiesta anoche. Ana sang at the party last night. (Completed past action - definite beginning and end to the action of Ana sang..)

Imperfect to describe actions without any indication of their beginning or end. The imperfect tense is another way to talk about the past. We use it to describe actions without any indication of their beginning or end.

Imperfect Ana cantaba. Ana was singing. No indication of beginning or end (No indication of beginning or end.)

Imperfect repeatedly in the past used towould We use the imperfect to talk about actions that happened repeatedly in the past. In English we often sayused to or would to express this idea.

Imperfect Generalmente (Por lo general) caminaban mucho. Generally they would walk a lot.

Imperfect Jugaban con otros niños de la familia. They used to play with other children in the family.

Imperfect generalmente por lo general (generally),a menudo (often), muchas veces (many times), Expressions such as generalmente or por lo general (generally), a menudo (often), muchas veces (many times), todos los días or cada día(every day), todos los días or cada día, (every day), siempre (always),nunca siempre (always), and nunca (never) can cue us to use the imperfect.

Imperfect accent nosotros Here are all the forms of -ar verbs in the imperfect. Notice the accent mark on the nosotros form.

HABLAR (to talk) aba Yo hablaba abas Tú hablabas Él aba Ella hablaba Ud. ábamos Nosotros (as) hablábamos abais Vosotros (as) hablabais Ellos aban Ellas hablaban Uds. aba Yo hablaba = I talked, was talking, used to talk, would talk

yo Ud./él/ella Since the yo and the Ud./él/ella forms are the same, we often use the subject pronouns to avoid confusion. Imperfect

Lets do a few more verbs.

JUGAR (to play) aba Yo jugaba abas Tú jugabas Él aba Ella jugaba Ud. Nosotros (as) ábamos jugábamos abais Vosotros (as) jugabais Ellos aban Ellas jugaban Uds. jugaba Yo jugaba = I played, was playing, used to play, would play

PATINAR (to skate) aba Yo patinaba abas Tú patinabas Él aba Ella patinaba Ud. ábamos Nosotros (as) patinábamos abais Vosotros (as) patinabais Ellos aban Ellas patinaban Uds. patinaba Yo patinaba = I skated, was skating, used to skate, would skate

USAR (to use) aba Yo usaba abas Tú usabas Él aba Ella usaba Ud. Nosotros (as) ábamos usábamos Vosotros (as) abais usabais Ellos aban Ellas usaban Uds. usaba Yo usaba = I used, was using, used to use, would use

Now we will learn the -er/-ir verb endings in the imperfect tense. Imperfect

COMER (to eat) ía Yo comía ías Tú comías Él ía Ella comía Ud. íamos Nosotros (as) comíamos íais Vosotros (as) comíais Ellos ían Ellas comían Uds. comía Yo comía = I ate, was eating, used to eat, would eat

TENER (to have) ía Yo tenía ías Tú tenías Él ía Ella tenía Ud. íamos Nosotros (as) teníamos íais Vosotros (as) teníais Ellos ían Ellas tenían Uds. ía Yo tenía = I had, was having, used to have, would have

HACER (to do) ía Yo hacía ías Tú hacías Él ía Ella hacía Ud. íamos Nosotros (as) hacíamos íais Vosotros (as) hacíais Ellos ían Ellas hacían Uds. ía Yo hacía = I did, was doing, used to do, would do

VIVIR (to live) ía Yo vivía ías Tú vivías Él ía Ella vivía Ud. Nosotros (as) íamos vivíamos íais Vosotros (as) vivíais Ellos ían Ellas vivían Uds. vivía Yo vivía = I lived, was living, used to live, would live

PEDIR (to ask for) ía Yo pedía ías Tú pedías Él ía Ella pedía Ud. Nosotros (as) íamos pedíamos íais Vosotros (as) pedíais Ellos ían Ellas pedían Uds. ía Yo pedía = I asked for, was asking for, used to ask for, would ask for

The Imperfect Tense: Irregular Verbs Page 196 Realidades 2

ser ser – to be eraéramos eraserais eraeran era Yo era – I was, I used to be, I would be

ir ir – to go ibaíbamos ibasibais ibaiban iba Yo iba – I went, I was going, I used to go, I would go

ver ver – to see veíaveíamos veíasveíais veíaveían veía Yo veía – I saw, I was seeing, I used to see, I would see

Lets practice with short translations using the imperfect tense talking about childhood experiences. Write the English and express in Spanish. Use the imperfect!! 1.As a child, I had a collection of action figures. 2.We would play with the toys. 3. He often obeyed his parents. 4.They used to bring the stuffed bears to the daycare center. 5.You (Tú) wrote every day. 6. She was very mischievous. 7. We were going to the school. 8. Generally we would see our friends.

1. As a child, I had a collection of action figures. De niño (De niña, De pequeño, De pequeña), tenía una colección de muñecos. (tener – to have)

2. We would play with the toys. Jugábamos con los juguetes. (jugar – to play)

3. He often obeyed his parents. A menudo obedecía a sus padres. (obedecer – to obey)

Traían los osos de peluche a la guardería infantil. (traer – to bring) 4. They used to bring the stuffed bears to the daycare center.

5. You (Tú) wrote every day. Escribías todos los días (cada día). (escribir – to write)

6. She was very mischievous. Era muy traviesa. (ser – to be)

7. We were going to the school. Íbamos a la escuela. (ir – to go)

8. Generally we would see our friends.Generalmente (Por lo general) veíamos a nuestros amigos (nuestras amigas). (ver – to see)

To review the imperfect tense…