Find out how to discuss concerning the previous

Have you ever ever needed to speak about your childhood recollections in Spanish or describe the way in which issues have been prior to now? The Spanish imperfect tense (el pretérito imperfecto) is your key to expressing these previous conditions!

On this complete information, we’ll discover learn how to type and use the imperfect tense in Spanish, from primary conjugations to sensible functions. Collectively along with your on-line Spanish classes, this text will allow you to grasp this important side of Spanish grammar!

When to make use of the Spanish imperfect tense

The imperfect tense conjugations in Spanish are primarily used to explain ongoing or repeated actions prior to now.

It’s necessary to grasp that the imperfect describes actions with no clear endpoint or actions that set the scene for different occasions. Let’s discover the primary conditions when it’s best to use this kind.

Routine actions prior to now

One of the crucial widespread makes use of of the imperfect tense is to explain actions that occurred usually prior to now – stuff you “used to do” or “would do” repeatedly.

For instance:

• Cuando period niño, jugaba a fútbol todos los días (After I was a toddler, I used to play soccer every single day)
• Siempre comíamos pasta los domingos (We all the time used to eat pasta on Sundays)
• En verano, iba a la playa con mis amigos (In summer time, I might go to the seashore with my mates)

Discover how these sentences describe actions that have been repeated over time, not simply as soon as.

Descriptions and background info

The imperfect can be used for describing folks, locations, emotions, and circumstances prior to now.

Let’s take a look at some examples:

• El día estaba soleado y los pájaros cantaban (The day was sunny and the birds have been singing)
• Mi abuela period alta y tenía el pelo blanco (My grandmother was tall and had white hair)
• La casa parecía abandonada (The home appeared deserted)

These descriptions set the scene for what was occurring prior to now, giving context to different actions.

Ongoing actions that have been interrupted

We use the imperfect to speak about actions that have been in progress when one thing else occurred.

For instance:

• Dormía cuando sonó el teléfono (I used to be sleeping when the telephone rang)
• Cocinábamos la cena cuando llegaron los invitados (We have been cooking dinner when the visitors arrived)

In these examples, the imperfect describes what was occurring when one thing else interrupted it.

Find out how to type the Spanish imperfect tense

Now that we perceive when to make use of the imperfect, let’s discover ways to type it. The excellent news is that the imperfect tense is likely one of the most common tenses in Spanish!

Common verbs within the imperfect

For normal verbs, forming the imperfect is straightforward. There are two patterns to observe – one for “-ar” verbs and one other for each “-er” and “-ir” verbs.

Right here’s a desk displaying the endings:

Let’s see some verbs for instance:

Hablar imperfect tense (to talk)

Tener imperfect tense (to have)

Vivir imperfect tense (to reside)

Let’s take a look at some examples of those verbs in context:

• Cuando trabajaba en Madrid, vivía en un pequeño apartamento (After I labored in Madrid, I lived in a small condo)
• Mis padres hablaban por teléfono mientras yo comía mi cena (My mother and father have been speaking on the telephone whereas I used to be consuming my dinner)

Irregular verbs within the imperfect

Among the finest issues concerning the Spanish imperfect tense is that there are solely three imperfect irregulars! These are “ir” (to go), “ser” (to be), and “ver” (to see). Studying these imperfect type Spanish irregularities is important for fluent communication.

Let’s take a look at “ir” in imperfect tense together with the opposite irregular verbs:

Listed here are some examples of those irregular verbs:

• Mi hermano period muy alto para su edad (My brother was very tall for his age)
• Cada día, iba al parque a correr (Each day, I used to go to the park to run)
• Desde mi ventana veía las montañas (From my window I may see the mountains)

Imperfect vs. preterite: The important thing distinction

One of the crucial difficult features of Spanish for learners is realizing when to make use of the imperfect or the preterite (easy previous). Whereas each consult with actions prior to now, they’ve completely different makes use of.

The imperfect describes ongoing, ordinary, or background actions, whereas the preterite describes accomplished actions with a transparent starting and finish.

Contemplate these examples:

• Cuando period niño, vivía en Barcelona (After I was a toddler, I used to reside in Barcelona) – Imperfect for background and ongoing state
• Viví en Barcelona durante cinco años (I lived in Barcelona for 5 years) – Preterite for accomplished motion with an outlined timeframe

Widespread time expressions with the imperfect

Sure time expressions usually sign that the imperfect tense needs to be used. Let’s take a look at some examples:

• A menudo – Typically
• A veces – Typically
• Cada día/semana/mes/año – Each day/week/month/yr
• Con frecuencia – Steadily
• De vez en cuando – Sometimes
• En aquella época – At the moment
• Normalmente – Usually
• Siempre – At all times
• Todos los días – Each day

For instance:

• A veces jugábamos al ajedrez después de cenar (Typically we might play chess after dinner)
• Todos los veranos visitábamos a mis abuelos (Each summer time we might go to my grandparents)
• Normalmente desayunaba a las ocho (I usually used to have breakfast at eight)

Key takeaways concerning the Spanish imperfect tense

The imperfect tense in Spanish is important for speaking about previous actions that have been ongoing, ordinary, or descriptive. Among the finest elements about studying this tense is its straightforward conjugation patterns and the truth that you solely must memorize three irregular verbs!

Able to grasp the Spanish imperfect tense? Take your expertise to the following stage by studying Spanish on-line. Preply provides 1-on-1 periods with knowledgeable tutors who will help you good your grammar and construct confidence in utilizing completely different Spanish tenses. Begin your journey to fluency at this time!