The Imperfect Tense:Regular Verbs

Courtesy of: www.ba.k12.ok.us/schools/nihs1/powerpoint/grammar/real2grammar/

Edited by Profe 2009

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.)

Imperfect 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.)

Imperfect We use the imperfect to talk

about actions that happened repeatedly in the past. In English we often say “used to” or “would” to express this idea.

Imperfect

Generalmente 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

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

Imperfect

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

CAMINAR (to walk)

Yo caminaba

Tú caminabas

Él

Ella caminaba

Ud.

Nos. caminábamos

Vos. caminabais

Ellos

Ellas caminaban

Uds.

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

Imperfect

Imperfect

Let’s do a few more verbs.

PATINAR (to skate)

Yo patinaba

Tú patinabas

Él

Ella patinaba

Ud.

Nos. patinábamos

Vos. patinabais

Ellos

Ellas patinaban

Uds.

USAR (to use)

Yo usaba

Tú usabas

Él

Ella usaba

Ud.

Nos. usábamos

Vos. usabais

Ellos

Ellas usaban

Uds.

JUGAR (to play)

Yo jugaba

Tú jugabas

Él

Ella jugaba

Ud.

Nos. jugábamos

Vos. jugabais

Ellos

Ellas jugaban

Uds.

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

Imperfect

COMER (to eat)

Yo comía

Tú comías

Él

Ella comía

Ud.

Nos. comíamos

Vos. comíaisEllosEllas comíanUds.

VIVIR (to live)

Yo vivía

Tú vivías

Él

Ella vivía

Ud.

Nos. vivíamos

Vos. vivíaisEllosEllas vivíanUds.

Let’s review once more.

PELEARSE (to fight)Yo me

peleaba

Tú te peleabasÉlElla se peleabaUd.

Nos. nos peleábamos

Vos. os peleabais

Ellos

Ellas se peleaban

Uds.

¡una competición!

Imperfect tense

VERBhablar

SUBJECTyo

hablaba

Imperfect tense

VERBmirar

SUBJECTellos

miraban

Imperfect tense

VERBcaminar

SUBJECT tú

caminabas

Imperfect tense

VERBestudiar

SUBJECTella

estudiaba

Imperfect tense

VERBsaltar

SUBJECTusted

saltaba

Imperfect tense

VERBcomer

SUBJECTellas

comían

Imperfect tense

VERBvivir

SUBJECTPaco

vivía

Imperfect tense

VERBservir

SUBJECTyo

servía

Imperfect tense

VERBconstruir

SUBJECTnosotros

construíamos

Imperfect tense

VERBescribir

SUBJECTvosotros

escribíais

Imperfect tense

VERBesconderse

SUBJECTellos

se escondían

Imperfect tense

VERBpelearse

SUBJECTLola y yo

nos peleábamos

Imperfect tense

VERBser

SUBJECTyo

era

Imperfect tense

VERB ir

SUBJECT tú

ibas

Imperfect tense

VERB treparse

SUBJECTHugo

se trepaba

Imperfect tense

VERBdivertirse

SUBJECTustedes

se divertían

Imperfect tense

VERBviajar

SUBJECTnadie

viajaba

Imperfect tense

VERBcomprar

SUBJECTmi familia

compraba

Imperfect tense

VERBcepillarse

SUBJECTyo

me cepillaba

Imperfect tense

VERBestudiar

SUBJECTnosotros

estudiábamos

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¡El fin!