5

El imperfecto de los verbos regulares

We use the imperfect tense to talk about things like events

or actions in the past that had no clear beginning and/or

ending.

Ex. I Ex. I was doingwas doing my homework my homework

I I used to cryused to cry at night at night

I always I always annoyedannoyed my sister my sister

Regular verb endings for imperfect verbs

-aba -ábamos

-abas -abais

-aba -aban

-ía -íamos

-ías -íais

-ía -ían

-ar ending verbs -er/-ir ending verbs

OMG!The “yo” and the“he-she-it” formsare the same in

the imperfect tense!How “loco” is

that!

Imperfect Irregular Verbs

era éramos

eras erais

era eran

Ex. Yo era pequeño

ser

iba íbamos

ibas ibais

iba iban

Ex. Iba a escuela

ir

veía veíamos

veías veíais

veía veían

Ex. Veía la tele

ver

Reasons to use the imperfectUncertain beginning and/or end

Habitual

Indefinite expression

Description/weather

Time/Date

Origin/nationality

Age

Emotion/Feeling

Mental Process

Past tense-ing form or

an interruptedevent oraction

Reasons to use the imperfectUncertain beginning and/or end

Habitual

Indefinite expression

Description/weather

Time/Date

Origin/nationality

Age

Emotion/Feeling

Mental Process

Past tense-ing form or

an interruptedevent oraction

UglyUglyHippoHippo

InInDeepDeep

TroubleTroubleOverOverAngryAngryEvilEvilManMan

Reasons for using the imperfect

Uncertain beginning and or ending to a past action or event. Also, can be thought of the past tense “ing” form. Ex. Lavaba los platos. Estaba picando la nariz, cuando saqué la foto.

Habitual events or actions in the past occurred regularly or in expected order or pattern. Ex. Me cepillaba los dientes. Me bañaba por la noche.

Indefinite expressions indicated the idea of infinity or beyond! Like the event or action always or never occurred using words like always and never. Ex. Siempre leía. Nunca bailaba.

Describing a physical or non physical state in the past tense is imperfect because its precise beginning or end cannot be determined or he/she/it could “still”. Weather is also imperfect in the past. Ex: Era muy gordo. Tenía hambre. Luvía. Hacía sol.

Time is imperfect because it is an infinite process that never ends. The date is also imperfect in the past. Ex. Eran las seis. Era la una. Era el 2 de abril.

Origin is what something is made of or where it originates from. Nationality, race and religion are also imperfect. Ex. Era de lana. Ella era latina.

Age is always imperfect. Like time, age never stops progressing forward. Your age in the past was a non permanent state, which has no “certain ending”. Ex. Tenía dos años, cuando aprendí montar en triciclo. Emotion is imperfect in that it is impossible to pin point the exact beginning and or ending of the feeling or emotional state. Ex. Tenía miedo, cuando me robaron.

Mental processes in themselves are usually non removeable or difficult to determine start or finish. You could STILL! Ex. Sabía mucho, porque sacó muchas notas buenas en escuela secundaria.