Imperfect Uses Even though the Imperfect and the Preterite are both past tenses you will use them for different reasons.

The imperfect describes past actions in the process of happening with no reference to their beginning or end. I was eating dinner when the doorbell rang.

Use the imperfect to express time in the past It was 7:30 when I arrived.

The imperfect sets the stage upon which other actions take place We were at the movies when we found out.

The imperfect refers to repeated/habitual actions in the past She used to go swimming every day.

The imperfect describes physical/ emotional/ mental conditions in the past She was excited when he proposed.

I was four years old when we moved to Arizona. The imperfect is used to tell age in the past

The imperfect is used for gossip, hearsay and rumors The people of the town said that the big house at the end of the street was haunted.

The imperfect is used to express the way things used to be. When we were little, my cousins and I would sneak cookies from Grandma’s cookie jar.

The imperfect is used to express simultaneous actions. We listened to the music while we sang along. While, or mientras, indicates a simultaneous action.

Let’s review regular endings: aba abas aba ábamos aban Endings for -AR verbs

Endings for -ER/-IR verbs ía ías ía íamos ían Note how all the endings on these verbs have accents.

Can’t forget the irregulars! era eras era éramos eran SER – to be

IR – to go iba ibas iba íbamos iban

veía veías veía veíamos veían VER – to see

Try to translate: When it was cold, we had soup for dinner. Cuando hacía frío, teníamos sopa para la cena.

John was very sick when he was young. Juan estaba muy enfermo cuando era joven.

I used to read every night while I listened to music. Leía todas las noches mientras escuchaba música.

¿Comprendiste todo? If you didn’t understand, make arrangements to come in for extra help.