The Imperfect is often called the
Descriptive
Past Tense because we "describe or set scenes" using the Imperfect Tense.
The Imperfect handles three different Past tense constructions in English:
-
I studied at Ohlone College. (we don't know
if I finished or not.)
-
I used to study at Ohlone College.
-
I was studying at Ohlone college.
It is important to note that we use the
Imperfect to indicate we "were doing" something. In other words, we use the Imperfect to say:
| I was studying
last night, while Susana was watching television |
Yo estudiaba anoche mientras
que Susana miraba la televisión. |
-
Do not use the Present Progressive (Estar
+
"-ing") to say this.
The Imperfect past tense
endings:
|
AR VERBS (ALL) |
IR/ER VERBS |
Yo |
aba |
ía |
Tú |
abas |
ías |
Él,
ella, usted |
aba |
ía |
Nosotros |
ábamos |
íamos |
Ellos |
aban |
ían |
Note: for -ir and -er verbs, the
"í" of the Imperfect past tense always carries an accent
as well as the "á" of the Nosotros form of the
-ar verbs!
Examples:
|
Yo |
Tú |
Él, ella, usted |
Nosotros |
Ellos |
Hablar |
hablaba |
hablabas |
hablaba |
hablábamos |
hablaban |
Comer |
comía |
comías |
comía |
comíamos |
comían |
Vivir |
vivía |
vivías |
vivía |
vivíamos |
vivían |
There are only three verbs that
are irregular in the Imperfect: Ser,
Ir, and Ver
|
Yo |
Tú |
Él, ella, usted |
Nosotros |
Ellos |
Ser |
era |
eras |
era |
éramos |
eran |
Ir |
iba |
ibas |
iba |
íbamos |
iban |
Ver |
veía |
veías |
veía |
veíamos |
veían |
