The Imperfect Tense

Imperfect Tense Endings “-AR” VERBS -aba -abas -aba -ábamos -abais -aban

hablar – to speak hablaba hablaban hablabais hablábamos hablabas hablaba

Imperfect Tense Endings “-ER/-IR” VERBS -ía -ías -ía -íamos -íais -ían

comer – to eat comía comían comíais comíamos comías comía

jugar – to play (no stem changes!) jugaba jugaban jugabais jugábamos jugabas jugaba

vivir – to live vivía vivían vivíais vivíamos vivías vivía

ir - to go iba iban ibais íbamos ibas iba

ser – to be era eran erais éramos eras era

ver – to see veía veían veíais veíamos veías veía

What are the uses of the Imperfect Tense? 1) To describe an event in the past that USED TO occur. 1) To describe an event in the past that USED TO occur. This could have happened regularly, frequently, from time to time, now and again This could have happened regularly, frequently, from time to time, now and again Implies it happened more than once. Implies it happened more than once. Example: Siempre iba a la casa de mis abuelos. Example: Siempre iba a la casa de mis abuelos. I always used to go to my grand- parents house. I always used to go to my grand- parents house.

Expressions Used to Help Identify the Imperfect Tense a menudo – often a menudo – often normalmente - normally normalmente - normally siempre - always siempre - always cada día – every day cada día – every day todos los días- every day todos los días- every day con frecuencia – frequently con frecuencia – frequently frecuentemente - frequently frecuentemente - frequently

Expressions Used to Help Identify the Imperfect Tense con regularidad - regularly con regularidad - regularly muchas veces – many times muchas veces – many times a veces - sometimes a veces - sometimes de vez en cuando – once in a while de vez en cuando – once in a while una vez a la semana – once a week una vez a la semana – once a week una vez al día – once a day una vez al día – once a day una vez al año – once a year una vez al año – once a year

Expressions Used to Help Identify the Imperfect Tense de niño/a de niño/a en mi niñez en mi niñez cuando era niño/a cuando era niño/a

Uses of the Imperfect Tense 2)To indicate actions that WERE GOING ON at the time about which you are speaking. 2)To indicate actions that WERE GOING ON at the time about which you are speaking. Ongoing actions “-ing” Ongoing actions “-ing” Example: Mientras hablaba, ellos jugaban al fútbol. Example: Mientras hablaba, ellos jugaban al fútbol. While I was talking, they were playing soccer. While I was talking, they were playing soccer.

Uses of the Imperfect Tense 3) To DESCRIBE the way people that you are remembering looked or were. 3) To DESCRIBE the way people that you are remembering looked or were. Description / Personality Description / Personality Example: Mi abuela era baja y simpática. Example: Mi abuela era baja y simpática. My grandmother was short and nice. My grandmother was short and nice.

Uses of the Imperfect Tense 4) To express HOW OLD SOMEONE WAS IN THE PAST: AGE 4) To express HOW OLD SOMEONE WAS IN THE PAST: AGE Example: Mi abuelo tenía 60 años cuando yo nací. Example: Mi abuelo tenía 60 años cuando yo nací. My grandfather was 60 years old when I was born. My grandfather was 60 years old when I was born.

Uses of the Imperfect Tense 5) To express past states of HEALTH/Feelings. 5) To express past states of HEALTH/Feelings. Example: Mi abuela estaba enferma. Example: Mi abuela estaba enferma. My grandmother was sick. My grandmother was sick. Me sentía nerviosa… Me sentía nerviosa…

Uses of the Imperfect Tense 6) To set the BACKGROUND of a story. (DESCRIPTION) 6) To set the BACKGROUND of a story. (DESCRIPTION) Eran las ocho. (TIME) Eran las ocho. (TIME) It was 8. It was 8. Llovía mucho. (WEATHER) Llovía mucho. (WEATHER) It was raining. It was raining. Estábamos en casa. (LOCATION) Estábamos en casa. (LOCATION) We were at home. We were at home.

Uses of the Imperfect Tense 7) To express ATTITUDES and BELIEFS that were held at that time in the past. 7) To express ATTITUDES and BELIEFS that were held at that time in the past. Mental Activity – thought processes Mental Activity – thought processes Example: Yo creía que ella era delgada. Example: Yo creía que ella era delgada. I thought she was thin. I thought she was thin.

Common Verbs of this Nature: querer – to want querer – to want desear – to desire desear – to desire preferir - to prefer preferir - to prefer poder – to be able to poder – to be able to sentir – to be sorry, regret sentir – to be sorry, regret pensar – to think pensar – to think saber – to know saber – to know creer- to think, beleive creer- to think, beleive

How do I conjugate in the Imperfect Tense? You drop the ENDING and add a given set of endings to the STEM. You drop the ENDING and add a given set of endings to the STEM. Are there stem changes? Are there stem changes? NO! NO! Are there spelling changes? Are there spelling changes? NO! NO!

How do I conjugate in the Imperfect Tense? Are there irregulars? YES Are there irregulars? YES But…there are only THREE ! But…there are only THREE ! IR, SER and VER IR, SER and VER GUSTAR: Only two forms- GUSTAR: Only two forms- gustaba / gustaban gustaba / gustaban Me gustaba bailar. Me gustaba bailar. ¿Te gustaban las muñecas? ¿Te gustaban las muñecas?

How do I conjugate in the Imperfect Tense? To say “there was / there were” (“hay” in the present tense) : había To say “there was / there were” (“hay” in the present tense) : había Example: Había muchas personas en la escuela. Example: Había muchas personas en la escuela. There were a lot of people at school. There were a lot of people at school.