The Imperfect The Imperfect Tense:Tense:

Preterite - usesPreterite - uses

Actions that began and ended at a definite time.

Preterite - usesPreterite - uses

Ana cantó en la fiesta anoche.

Ana sang at the party last night.(Completed past action.)

Imperfect - usesImperfect - uses

Describe actions that were in progress (without any indication of their beginning or end).

Imperfect - usesImperfect - uses

Ana cantaba cuando era niña.

Ana sang when she was a kid.

(No indication of beginning or end.)

Imperfect - usesImperfect - uses

Actions that happened repeatedly

in the past.

Imperfect - usesImperfect - uses

Generalmente caminaban mucho.

Generally they would walk a lot.

Imperfect - usesImperfect - uses

Jugaban con otros niños de la familia.

They used to play with other children in the family.

Imperfect - usesImperfect - uses

Expressions such as generalmente, a menudo, muchas veces, todos los días, siempre, and nunca can cue us to use the imperfect.

Imperfect - usesImperfect - uses

The background or setting in which an action took place.

Time/Date and age in the past.

Mental/Emotional states in the past.

To describe persons, things or situations

Imperfect - formationImperfect - formation

-ar verbs in the imperfect.

Notice the accent mark on the nosotros form.

CAMINAR (to walk)CAMINAR (to walk)

Yo caminaba

Tú caminabas

ÉlElla caminabaUd.

Nos. caminábamos

Vos. caminabaisEllosEllas caminabanUds.

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

Imperfect - formationImperfect - formation

Let’s do a few more verbs.

Imperfect - formation

PATINAR (to skate)PATINAR (to skate)

Yo patinaba

Tú patinabas

ÉlElla patinabaUd.

Nos. patinábamos

Vos. patinabaisEllosEllas patinabanUds.

Imperfect - formationImperfect - formation

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

Yo comía

Tú comíasÉlElla comíaUd.

Nos. comíamos

Vos. comáisEllosEllas comíanUds.

COMER (to eat)COMER (to eat)

VIVIR (to live)VIVIR (to live)

Yo vivía

Tú vivíasÉlElla vivíaUd.

Nos. vivíamos

Vos. viváisEllosEllas vivíanUds.

Imperfect - formationImperfect - formation

There are three irregular verbs in the imperfect. The verbs IR, SER, and VER.

IRIR

iba

ibas

iba

íbamos

ibais

iban

SERSER

era

eras

era

éramos

erais

eran

VERVER

veía

veías

veía

veíamos

veíais

veían