ESPAÑOL DOSESPAÑOL DOS

APUNTES DEL APUNTES DEL IMPERFECTO #1IMPERFECTO #1

IMPERFECTOIMPERFECTO

The imperfect tense is The imperfect tense is another past tense, another past tense, distinct & NOT distinct & NOT interchangeable with interchangeable with the preterit.the preterit.

¿Cómo se forma el imperfecto?¿Cómo se forma el imperfecto?

There are only two types There are only two types of imperfect endings! of imperfect endings! There are endings for –AR There are endings for –AR verbs; meanwhile –ER & -verbs; meanwhile –ER & -IR verbs share endings!IR verbs share endings!

--AR--AR-aba-aba -ábamos -ábamos

-abas-abas -abais-abais

-aba-aba -aban-aban

--ER / --IR--ER / --IR-ía-ía -íamos-íamos

-ías-ías -íais-íais

-ía-ía -ían-ían

¡OJO!¡OJO! The “yo” The “yo” & “él, ella, & “él, ella, Ud.” Ud.” forms are forms are identical.identical.

¡OJO! ¡OJO! ♫♫♫ ♫ There are There are

NO stem-NO stem-changes in changes in the the imperfect imperfect tense.tense.

¡OJO! ¡OJO! ☼☼ ☼ ☼ There are There are only three only three irregular irregular verbs in the verbs in the imperfect!imperfect!

IR (to go)IR (to go)

SER (to be)SER (to be)

VER (to see)VER (to see)

IR (to go)IR (to go)ibaiba íbamosíbamos

ibasibas ibaisibais

ibaiba ibaniban

SER (to be)SER (to be)eraera éramoséramos

eraseras eraiserais

eraera eraneran

VER (to see)VER (to see)veíaveía veíamos veíamos

veíasveías veíaisveíais

veíaveía veíanveían

HABERHABERFORMAFORMA TIEMPOTIEMPO MEANINGMEANING

hayhay presentepresente there is,there is,

there arethere are

habíahabía imperfectoimperfecto there was,there was,

there werethere were

hubohubo pretéritopretérito there was,there was,

there werethere were

The imperfect tense of “hay” The imperfect tense of “hay” (there is, there are) is (there is, there are) is “había” (there was, there “había” (there was, there were). Notice this verb is were). Notice this verb is both singular & plural. The both singular & plural. The preterit form is “hubo” (there preterit form is “hubo” (there was, there were in the was, there were in the sense of “there occurred”).sense of “there occurred”).

Cuando yo Cuando yo era niña, no era niña, no había iPods había iPods por todas por todas partes.partes.

When I was When I was a little girl, a little girl, there were there were no iPods. no iPods. But now, But now, there are there are iPods iPods everywhere.everywhere.

En 1970, En 1970, no había I-no había I-475. No 475. No existía existía todavía.todavía.

In 1970, In 1970, there wasn’t there wasn’t I-475. It I-475. It didn’t exist didn’t exist yet.yet.

There are several distinct uses of There are several distinct uses of the imperfect. ALL involve a the imperfect. ALL involve a contrast with the preterit.contrast with the preterit.

IMPERFECTO

PRETÉRITO

Distinction #1Distinction #1

Preterit for single, memorable actions Preterit for single, memorable actions or events (or a repeated a distinct or events (or a repeated a distinct number of times)number of times)

Imperfect for repeated, habitual actions Imperfect for repeated, habitual actions or events (# of repetitions not or events (# of repetitions not important!)important!) In such cases, the imperfect is sometimes In such cases, the imperfect is sometimes

translated as “used to” or “would + verb”translated as “used to” or “would + verb”

♥♥ La semana La semana pasada, no pasada, no recibí una recibí una detención por detención por llegar tarde a llegar tarde a la clase.la clase.

♥♥ Last week, Last week, I didn’t get a I didn’t get a detention for detention for arriving late arriving late to class.to class.

♦♦ En 1978, En 1978, Enrique Enrique tuvo su tuvo su primer cita.primer cita.

♦♦ In 1978, In 1978, Eric had Eric had his first his first date.date.

♣♣ El mes El mes pasado, Alicia pasado, Alicia y yo llegamos y yo llegamos tarde a la tarde a la práctica dos práctica dos veces.veces.

♣♣ Last month, Last month, Alicia & I Alicia & I arrived late to arrived late to practice practice twice/two twice/two times.times.

♠ ♠ En 1900, En 1900, mucha gente mucha gente vivía en el vivía en el campo y no campo y no tenía coches. tenía coches. Viajaba por Viajaba por caballo.caballo.

♠ ♠ In 1900, many In 1900, many people lived in people lived in the country & the country & didn’t have didn’t have cars. They cars. They traveled by traveled by horse.horse.

● ● Cuando mi Cuando mi papá era joven, papá era joven, asistía a una asistía a una escuela muy escuela muy pequeña. pequeña. Tenía quince Tenía quince estudiantes.estudiantes.

● ● When my dad When my dad was younger, was younger, he attended a he attended a very small very small school. It had school. It had 15 students.15 students.

▲▲Hace muchos Hace muchos años, no se años, no se podía mirar podía mirar películas en películas en casa. Tenía casa. Tenía que ir al cine. que ir al cine. No había No había videos ni videos ni DVDs. DVDs.

▲▲Many years Many years ago, one could ago, one could not watch not watch movies at movies at home. One home. One had to go to the had to go to the cinema. There cinema. There weren’t videos weren’t videos nor DVDsnor DVDs. .

TRIGGER WORDS…TRIGGER WORDS…

☻☻Certain words and Certain words and phrases indicate an phrases indicate an indefinite number of indefinite number of repetitions and therefore repetitions and therefore provide a cue for the use of provide a cue for the use of the imperfect. the imperfect.

a menudoa menudo

siempresiempre

a vecesa veces

oftenoften

alwaysalways

sometimessometimes

todos los díastodos los días

every dayevery day

frecuentamentefrecuentamente

frequentlyfrequently

muchas vecesmuchas veces

many timesmany times

cada lunescada lunes

every Mondayevery Monday

generalmentegeneralmentegenerallygenerally

varias vecesvarias veces

several timesseveral times

TRIGGER WORDS…TRIGGER WORDS…

☺☺In contrast, certain In contrast, certain other words and phrases other words and phrases indicate single, distinct indicate single, distinct actions and therefore actions and therefore point toward the preterit. point toward the preterit.

por la primera vezpor la primera vez

for the first timefor the first time

una vez, dos veces, etc.una vez, dos veces, etc.

once, twice, etc.once, twice, etc.

la última vezla última vez

the last timethe last time