Instruction: Spanish Imperfect Tense – Regular

Introduction to the Imperfect Tense

The imperfect tense in Spanish is used to describe past actions that were ongoing, habitual, or incomplete. Unlike the preterite tense, which is used for actions that have a clear beginning and end, the imperfect is used to paint a picture of what was happening at a certain time in the past or to describe actions that were repeated regularly.

The imperfect tense is essential for storytelling and providing background information in the past. It’s often used to set the scene, describe conditions, or explain what was happening when another action occurred.

When to Use the Imperfect Tense

You should use the imperfect tense in the following situations:

• Ongoing or continuous past actions:

• Yo leía mientras ella escribía. (I was reading while she was writing.)

• Habitual or repeated actions in the past:

• Cuando era niño, jugaba con mis amigos todos los días. (When I was a child, I used to play with my friends every day.)

• Actions done at regular intervals:

• Yo desayunaba los jueves. (I ate breakfast on Thursdays.)
• Nosotros íbamos a la tienda cada semana. (We went to the store weekly.)

• Descriptions of people, places, or things in the past:

• La casa era grande y tenía un jardín hermoso. (The house was big and had a beautiful garden.)

• Time, age, and weather:

• Eran las cinco de la tarde. (It was five o’clock in the afternoon.)
• Tenía diez años cuando me mudé. (I was ten years old when I moved.)
• Hacía frío en diciembre. (It was cold in December.)

Conjugation Patterns for Regular Verbs

The imperfect tense has a regular pattern of conjugation for -ar, -er, and -ir verbs. Unlike the preterite, there are no stem changes in the imperfect tense, making it relatively straightforward to learn.

1. -ar Verb Endings:

For -ar verbs, remove the -ar ending and add the following endings: