EL IMPERFECTO Also called, Copretérito because as a COworker, it works at the same time with the pretérito.

EL IMPERFECTO As the name suggests; it is not perfect.....it is imperfect!..but, ¿why? …because the action in the sentence DOES NOT end; keeps on going. It is imperfect for the same reason we can not call ‘perfect’ something that is not done. Example: Ayer yo veía la televisión cuando mi papá llegó. In the sentence, the action, I was watching, does not end. So, when the vampire said: Just Duwit!

He actually meant, Just... Duwit!

When talking about the past use the imperfect when you need… escribing

Every time something is described in the past, the imperfect must be used…..not any other tense!! Describe a thing : Su casa era inmensa y tenía ventanas grandes todo alrededor, donde entraban los rayos el sol. Estaba en una colina (hill) donde había muchos pinos. Mis amigos decían que parecía un castillo encantado. Describe a person : …todavía recuerdo a mi novia Estelita. Ella era la niña más bonita del 3er grado. Tenía pelo dorado como el sol y sus ojos eran color de miel. Siempre me sonreía cuando me veía llegar. Estelita parecía un ángel…

Utilizando el imperfecto…. Talk to your partner and describe the house where you grew up. – Size ¿Era grande? – Color¿Qué color era? – Where was it?¿Dónde estaba? – Trees, windows, garage? ¿Qué cosas tenía? (features) Also, describe to him/her your family’s old car.

When talking about the past use the imperfect when in English you use… escribing (describing)…generally, era+ adjective sed to, would + verb (habitual actions) in the past

Every time something was repeated in the past, it is a habitual action. Even if there were long periods of time in between. The Comet Hansen used to orbit around the sun every 103 years until it crashed with Saturn in El Cometa Hansen orbitaba alrededor del sol cada 103 años hasta que se estrelló en Saturno en Every summer we used to go (we would go) to the same beach in Florida. Cada año íbamos a la misma playa en la Florida. On Sundays my grandpa would take us to get ice-cream. Los domingos mi abuelito nos llevaba a comer helado.

Utilizando el imperfecto…. Tell to your partner at least 3 things you used to do when you were a kid. – Places you used to go ¿Adónde ibas? – Things you used to like doing¿Qué te gustaba hacer? – Food you used to like/eat¿Qué te gustaba comer? – Friends you used to hang out with? ¿Quiénes eran tus amigos? – Neighborhood where you used to live¿Dónde vivías? – We used to live in Chicago…… and we used to eat at ‘Giordano’s®’ – (Nosotros) vivíamos en Chicago ….y comíamos en Giordano’s ®

When talking about the past use the imperfect when in English you use… escribing (describing)…generally, era+ adjective sed to, would + verb (habitual actions) in the past as or Were + verb ing (actions in progress)

When talking about actions in progress in the past. I was doing my homework when you were talking to my brother. Yo hacía mi tarea cuando tú hablabas con mi hermano. We were looking for the dog but we couldn’t (we were not finding) him. Buscábamos el perro pero no lo encontrábamos. When talking about actions in progress in the past, even when another action stopped it. She was texting while (she was) driving when she crashed. Ella texteaba mientras conducía cuando chocó.

Utilizando el imperfecto…. Tell your partner at least 3 things you were doing while watching a TV show Yo ______________ mientras veía _______________. – ¿Qué comías? – ¿Con quién mirabas TV? – ¿Estabas sentado(a) o estabas parado(a)? – ¿Usabas el teléfono?

When talking about or in the past use the imperfect when you need… escribing (describing)…generally, era+ adjective sed to, would + verb (habitual actions) in the past as or Were + verb ing (actions in progress) nside “things” (mental of physical states)

Most mental or physical states are not necessarily obvious. Hunger is not obvious She was really hungry that’s why she ate the parrot! She said they taste like chicken. Ella tenía mucha hambre por eso se comió el perico. Dijo que saben a pollo. Love is not obvious either He loved her too much, she didn’t as much because she didn’t know true love. El la amaba demasiado, ella no tanto porque no conocía el amor verdadero. Anger is not obvious, either… Wanting something is not …well..you know. The mob were furious outside the palace; they wanted the head of the king. Ouch! La multitud estaba furiosa afuera del palacio; querían la cabeza del rey.

Utilizando el imperfecto…. Write on the board 3 INSIDE Examples things that have to do with mental/physical states. Yo estaba enojado, quería Jack in the box. I was angry, I wanted Jack in the box. – You can write about feelings (love, anger, fury, sad, disappointment…) (amar, enojado, furioso,triste,desilusionado…) Something you wanted.

When talking about or in the past use the imperfect when you need… escribing (describing)…generally, era+ adjective sed to, would + verb (habitual actions) in the past as or Were + verb ing (actions in progress) nside “things” (mental of physical states) elling time or Expressing Age with the verb ‘tener’

There is no other way to express time in the the past, It was 5:00 in the morning when the dance ended. Eran las 5:00 de la mañana cuando se acabó el baile. …….. even when there are no numbers involved. When we saw the UFO it was early in the morning. The sun was already out. Cuando vimos el OVNI era temprano en la mañana. Ya había salido el sol. Also….There is no other way to express AGE in the the past, She was 89 and millionaire, he was only 21 and handsome, but wanted to be rich. Ella tenía 89 y era millonaria y él tenía solo 21 y guapo, pero quería ser rico.

Utilizando el imperfecto…. On you board write at least 1 important event that happened in your life. How old were you? What happened? What time of the day was it? Cuando tenía 12 años mi abuelita murió.

IMPERFECTO vs PRETÉRITO  Action in progress  Sets the background for an event (leads to it)  Something went on habitually, or was going on when something else happened.  Finished action (one time deal)  Reports an event (main action in a sentence).  Refers to when “Something happened in the past” Cue words that may indicate Imperfect Antes, Siempre, todos los días, los martes, lunes (etc), generalmente, a veces, de vez en cuando, usualmente, cada vez, todo el tiempo, mientras, cuando, etc Cue words that may indicate Pretérito Ayer, anoche, la semana pasada, el verano pasado, esta mañana, a las 3:00, a la una, etc. (whenever there is a specific given time and it doesn’t have to be in hour form). Verbs changing meaning with tense Conocía = knew (the ppt) Conoció = met (the person) Sabía= knew (the info) Supe= found out Estaba= was there (at 1:00) Estuve = got there (at 1:00) Quería= wantedQuise= tried to, attempted to

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