Imperfect Tense - Prof. Gahm-Diaz

Imperfect Tense
Taylor McBurney & Clare Lang
HOW TO FORM THE IMPERFECT
1. Take the root form of the verb and remove
the AR/ER/IR
2. Add the endings:
AR
ER/IR
aba
ábamos
ía
íamos
abas
abais
ías
íais
aba
aban
ía
ían
EXAMPLES OF AN AR VERB
Yo caminaba a escuela todos los días.
➔ I walked to school every day.
Tú caminabas a escuela todos los días.
➔ You (singular/familiar) walked to school every day.
Ella caminaba a escuela todos los días,
➔ She walked to school every day.
Nosotros caminábamos a escuela todos los días.
➔ We walked to school every day.
Vosotros caminabais a escuela todos los días.
➔ You (plural/familiar) walked to school every day.
Ustedes caminaban a escuela todos los días.
➔ You (plural/polite) walked to school every day.
EXAMPLES OF AN ER VERB
Yo comía la carne todos los días.
➔ I used to eat meat everyday.
T(u) comías la carne todos los días.
➔ You used to eat meat everyday.
Ella comía la carne todos los días.
➔ She used to eat meat everyday.
Nosotros comíamos la carne todos los días.
➔ We used to eat meat everyday.
Vosotros comíais la carne todos los días.
➔ You (plural/familiar) used to eat meat everyday.
Ustedes comían la carne todos los días.
➔ You (plural/formal) used to eat meat everyday.
EXAMPLES OF AN IR VERB
Yo sentía enfermo todos los días.
➔ I felt sick every day.
Tú sentías enfermo todos los días.
➔ You felt sick every day.
Ella sentía enfermo todos los días.
➔ She felt sick every day.
Nosotros sentíamos enfermo todos los días.
➔ We felt sick every day.
Vosotros sentíais enfermo todos los días.
➔ You (plural/familiar) felt sick every day.
Usted/Ella sentían enfermo todos los días.
➔ You (plural/formal)/They felt sick every day.
IRREGULARS
●
●
There are only 3 irregulars! :)
SER (to be), IR (to go), VER (to see)
Ser
Ir
Ver
Yo
Era
Iba
Veí
Tú
Eras
Ibas
Veías
Era
Iba
Veía
Nosotros/as
Éramos
Íbamos
Veíamos
Vosotros/as
Erais
Ibais
Veías
Ellos, ellas, ustedes
Eran
Iban
Veían
Él,
ella, usted
EXAMPLES OF IRREGULARS
Ser: Cuando yo era un niña, yo era
adorable.
Ir: Nosotros íbamos a la escuela la semana
pasada.
Ver: Ustedes veían un ave en el árbol.
WHEN IS IT USED IN ENGLISH
● The imperfect is equivalent to the past perfect in
English
● There is no tense called the imperfect
in English
● Used in English for interrupted actions
PRETERITE VS. IMPERFECT
●
Preterite is used for an action at a set moment in time
that already happened and is COMPLETED. It is
also used when it is known how many times the action
was done. (Actions have definite beginning and an end)
●
Imperfect actions have no specific time, but are an
action that was either completed over a long period of
time or are NOT COMPLETED. It is also used
when it is unknown how many times an action has been
completed.
WHEN THE IMPERFECT IS USED
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
Habitual Actions
Emotional/Mental State
Interrupted Actions
Background/Description
Repeated/Continued Actions
Time/Age
Physical Characteristics
TRIGGER WORDS
todos los días
everyday
cada día
every day
cada mes
every month
siempre
always
nunca
never
a veces
sometimes
muchas veces
many times
frecuentemente
frequently
a menudo
often
casi siempre
almost always
todo el tiempo
all the time
todos los lunes
every Monday
EXAMPLES PRETERITE VS.
IMPERFECT
● Imperfect: Tú nadaba en la piscina. (No specific time
frame, continuous action that was completed at an unknown time)
● Preterite: Tú nadaste en la piscina a las ocho a diez
de la noche.
(specific time frame, action is completed)
● Imperfect: Yo siempre caminaba a mi casa desde la
escuela todos los días. (the action was done an unspecified
amount of time)
● Preterite: Julio vivió en una casa en Swampscott para
ocho años. (the action was completed in a set period of time)
WAYS TO REMEMBER WHEN TO
USE THE IMPERFECT
Continuous Activity
Habitual Action
Interrupted Action
Repeated Activity
Physical Characteristics
Description
Emotional state mental
Background
Time/age
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHxnqP9Dh9o
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yxGDBwsLPuU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2k-gWwkWCBI
IMPERFECT YOUTUBE VIDEO