The ImperfectThe Imperfect

In this presentation, we will look at another way of talking about the past.

Remember this?

We’ve already learned one way of talking about the past: the preterite. It’s used to describe single actions that started and ended in the past.

Examples: Tomaron el examen el lunes

pasado. Gabriela recibió la mejor nota de todos los estudiantes.

El año pasado, fui a Costa Rica de vacaciones. Lo pasé muy bien.

Pedro se levantó, fue al baño, y se duchó.

What about…?What about…?

… actions that happen more than once in the past?I used to live in

Peoria.Every Christmas the

whole family would get together for a big dinner.

Or how about…?Or how about…?

… actions that started in the past but didn’t finish (as far as we know):I was walking to

work when I saw an accident.

She was tired and hungry.

The imperfectThe imperfect

These ideas – actions repeated in the past unfinished actions in the past descriptions about the past

are expressed using a different verb tense, called the “imperfect.” Think about it: “perfect” means

“complete,” so when a past action is incomplete, it is “imperfect.”

Uses of the imperfectUses of the imperfect

Use the imperfect to express actions, conditions, and events that:were in progress at some time

in the past (“was …ing”).occurred repeatedly in the

past (“used to” or “would”).were anticipated or planned

(“was going to”).

The preterite and the imperfect

Spanish speakers use the preterite tense to describe the beginning or completion of past actions, conditions, and events. For example, notice how Silvia uses the preterite to tell what happened at her home this morning:

Esta mañana mi despertador sonó a las 7:00 como siempre. Me levanté, fui al baño, me duché y me vestí. Luego, desperte a Juan Carlos y prepare el desayuno. Comimos fruta y pan tostado y tomamos café.

Con’t

Spanish speakers use the imperfect tense to express action, conditions, and events that were in progress at some focused point in the past. For example notice how Silvia uses the imperfect tense to tell what was going on when she got off the bus with her son.

Cuando nos bajamos del autobus, hacía un poco de frío y llovía. Juan Carlos no quería ir de compras conmigo porque todavía estaba cansado.

Con’t

Spanish also use the imperfect to describe actions, condition, and events that occurred habitually or repetitiously in the past. Notice how Silvia uses the imperfect to describe how her life was when she was a girl.

Cuando era niña, todo era diferente de lo que es hora. Yo tenía menos responsabilidades y creo que estaba más contenta. Todos los sábados me levantaba tarde porque no había mucho que hacer en casa. Luego iba a

la concina, me servía un vaso de leche y miraba la tele.

OK, what are the forms?OK, what are the forms?

Finally! The imperfect tense is probably the easiest form to learn because there are only three irregulars.

There are two sets of endings…-AR: add –aba to the stemER/IR: add –ía to the stem

Some examples, please!Some examples, please!

hablar cantar

hablaba cantaba

hablabas cantabas

hablaba cantaba

hablábamos cantábamos

hablaban cantaban

Easy, huh? Just add the –s to make the the tú form,-mos for nosotros, and –n for ellos/ellas.

Don’t forget the accent on the nosotros form!

How about for –ER & -IR?How about for –ER & -IR?

comer vivir

comía vivía

comías vivías

comía vivía

comíamos vivíamos

comían vivían

Same way… just add the –s to make the the tú form,-mos for nosotros, and –n for ellos/ellas.

Don’t forget the accent on the all the forms!

Let’s try a few forms!Let’s try a few forms!

Estar:yo _________tú _________ella ________nosotros _________ellos __________

Estar…Estar…

yo estabatú estabasella estabanosotros estábamosellos estaban

How about volver?

Volver…Volver…

yo volvía tú volvías ella volvía nosotros volvíamos ellos volvían

Volver is a stem-changing verb in the present, but stem-changing verbs don’t change in the imperfect!

How about conocer?

Conocer…Conocer…

yo conocíatú conocíasella conocíanosotros conocíamosellos conocían

Conocer is irregular in the present, but not in the imperfect!

How about decir?

Decir…Decir…

yo decía tú decías ella decía nosotros decíamos ellos decían

Decir is stem-changing and irregular in both the present and the preterite, but it’s regular in the imperfect!

How about levantarse?

Levantarse…Levantarse…

yo me levantaba tú te levantabas ella se levantaba nosotros nos levantábamos ellos se levantaban

Reflexive verbs work the same as in the present – don’t forget to put the reflexive pronoun in front of the verb!

How about those three irregulars?

SSer, ir, ver

ser ir verera iba veíaeras ibas veíasera iba veíaéramos íbamos veíamoseran iban veían

That’s all, folks – no other irregular imperfect forms in Spanish.

A piece of cake!A piece of cake!

The forms are that simple!We’ll look at the

differences between the two past forms – the preterite and the imperfect – in a later slide show.