The imperfect tense

The imperfect tense

1. is used to talk about the past

   • what people used to do/ how things used to be
     • antes no SEPARABA la basura
   • repeated actions in the past
     • JUGABA al tenis todos los dias
   • descriptions in the past
     • el hotel ERA cara

2. ·

   • i
     • you
       • he/she
         • we
           • you pl
             • they

3. hablar

   • hablaba
     • hablabas
       • hablaba
         • hablamos
           • hablabais
             • hablaban

4. comer

   • comia
     • comias
       • comia
         • comiamos
           • comiais
             • comian

5. vivir

   • vivia
     • vivias
       • vivia
         • viviamos
           • viviais
             • vivian

6. imperfect tense (regular

7. Preterite or imperfect

   • use the PRETERITE tense for single/completed event in the past.
     • ayer visite brighton
       • yesterday I visited Brighton
   • use IMPEREFCT tense for repeated/continuous events in the past
     • en Brighton habia un castillo
       • there used to be a castle in Brighton

8. imperfect tense (irregular)

   • ser
     • era
       • eras
         • era
           • eramos
             • erias
               • eran
   • ver
     • veia
       • veias
         • veia
           • veiamos
             • veiais
               • veian
   • ir
     • iba
       • ibas
         • iba
           • ibamos
             • ibias
               • iban
   • • i
       • you
         • he/she
           • we
             • you pl
               • they