Imperfecto / Imperfect
IMPERFECTO
The imperfect is a verb form to express the past, though unlike the preterite it describes an event that was ongoing at a particular time. The imperfect it is use when:
- Recalling characteristics of people or things and places in the past.
- Describe background situations; date, time, weather, age, an ongoing condition…
- Recalling moments in the past actions, events or stated were in progress, ongoing or habitual
- Describe actions happening at the same time in the past
The regular verbs have the following ending when they are conjugated in the imperfect tense:
| Hablar | Comer | Vivir | |
| Yo | hablaba | comía | vivía |
| Tú | hablabas | comías | vivías |
| El/ella/ usted | hablaba | comía | vivía |
| Nosotros/as | hablábamos | comíamos | vivíamos |
| vosotros/as | hablabais | comíais | vivíais |
| Ellos/ellas/ustedes | hablaban | comían | vivían |
There are only three irregular verbs in the imperfect: SER, IR and VER
| Ser | Ir | Ver | |
| Yo | era | iba | veía |
| Tú | eras | ibas | veías |
| El/ella/usted | era | iba | veía |
| Nosotros/as | éramos | íbamos | veíamos |
| Vosotros/as | erais | ibais | veíais |
| Ellos/ellas/ustedes | eran | iban | veían |
PRÁCTICA
Now that you have learned about the imperfect tense, now let’s practice;
Ejercicio 1
Ejercicio 2
Ejercicio 3