1. Imperfect Tense is the other PAST tense used in Spanish.
How is it different from Preterite?

2. Imperfect Tense
Imperfect Tense is used to describe on-going or habitual actions done in the PAST.
Ex. Yo aprendía el español.
I used to learn (was learning) Spanish.

3. She ran to school yesterday.
completed action done in the past
She used to run to school everyday.
ongoing action, no definite beginning or end

4. Forming the Imperfect Tense of Regular Verbs -AR, -ER and -IR

5. Imperfect Tense Regular –AR Verbs hablar=to speak
hablaba=I was speaking
hablabas=you (inf.) were speaking
hablaba=He,she, you (form.) was/were speaking
hablábamos=we were speaking
hablaban=they/you-all were speaking

6. Imperfect Tense Regular -ER Verbs aprender=to learn
aprendía=I was learning
aprendías=you (inf.) were learning
aprendía=He,she, you (form.) was/were learning
aprendíamos=we were learning
aprendían=they/you-all were learning

7. Imperfect Tense Regular -IR Verbs vivir=to live vivía=I was living
vivías=you (inf.) were living
vivía=He,she, you (form.) was/were living
vivíamos=we were living
vivían=they/you-all were living

8. Irregular Verbs in the Imperfect Tense
There are only three! 

9. Imperfect Tense
ir=to go iba=I was going ibas=you (inf.) were going iba=he,she,you (formal) was/were going íbamos=we were going iban=they,you-all were going

10. Imperfect Tense
ser=to be era=I was eras=you (inf.) were era=he,she,you (formal) was/were éramos=we were eran=they,you-all were

11. Imperfect Tense
ver=to see veía=I used to see veías=you (inf.) used to see veía=he,she,you (formal) used to see veíamos=we used to see veían=they,you-all used to see

12. Imperfect Tense can be translated one of two ways in English.

13. Imperfect Tense -ing in the past Ex. We were talking. or “used to”
Ex. We used to talk.
There is no term for “used to.”
It is understood in the Imperfect Tense.

14. Do you know the difference between the Past Tenses?
Imperfect Tense
Do you know the difference between the Past Tenses?
Ella trabajó ayer a la tienda.
Mateo y yo estudiábamos en escuela.
Yo corría pero Miguel corrió.

15. When did she talk to Enrique?
Imperfect Tense
You try…
When did she talk to Enrique?
The class used to study everyday.

16. Imperfect Tense Yo escribí. Yo escribía.
Remember, using the Imperfect is different than the Preterite. Both are past tenses…but… COMPLETED ON-GOING I ran VS I was writing. .
Yo escribí Yo escribía.

17. These phrases indicate an “on-going” action. Not a COMPLETED action.
Imperfect Tense
Typical Phrases
Most of the time, the following phrases indicate the need for the Imperfect Tense.
These phrases indicate an “on-going” action. Not a COMPLETED action.

18. Typical Phrases Examples
Imperfect Tense
Typical Phrases
Examples
Generally we used to do the homework in class.
Every Friday we used to go to the game.

19. Typical Phrases associated with the Imperfect Tense:
1. everyday= todos los días or cada día 2. generally= generalmente 3. often= a menudo 4. everyweek= toda la semana or cada semana 5. every year= todo el año or cada año 6. every night= toda la noche or cada noche 7. always= siempre 8. every (day of the week)= todos los ___ or cada ______ 9. while= mientras

20. Imperfect Tense TAREA- Escribe en español:
1. Sara used to/was working with Sam every Tuesday.
2. Was she writing her homework often for class?
3. Were we studying French on Saturday’s?
4. They were working and we were sleeping everyday in class.

21. Imperfect Tense Examples of ser in Imperfect Tense:
1) I was nice while I was in school.
Yo era simpática mientras yo estaba en escuela.
(continuously, no beginning or end)
2) Were you-all teachers?
¿Eran profesores, Uds.?