Ser in Imperfect

This tense focuses on the 'background' of the past. Imagine a movie scene. The action is the preterite. The set and costumes are the imperfect. Ser in the imperfect tells us who people were. It describes what things looked like. It explains the habitual nature of the past. If you 'used to be' something, this is your tense. In English, we often say 'was' or 'used to be'. Portuguese simplifies this into one elegant form. It doesn't matter if the state lasted a week or a decade. If it was a continuous state, you use this. It is like a long, fuzzy line on a timeline. It doesn't have a clear start or end point. It just *was*. Think of it like a grammar traffic light that stays green for a long time. It keeps the flow of the story moving.

1. 1The verb ser is irregular in almost every tense. The imperfect is no exception. However, it is very consistent once you learn it. Here is how you build it:
2. 2Start with the root for the past.
3. 3Apply the specific irregular endings for ser.
4. 4Remember that only the nós form has an accent.
5. 5Eu era (I was / used to be)
6. 6Tu eras (You were / used to be)
7. 7Ele/Ela/Você era (He/She/You were / used to be)
8. 8Nós éramos (We were / used to be)
9. 9Vós éreis (You all were - mostly in books)
10. 10Eles/Elas/Vocês eram (They/You all were / used to be)
11. 11Yes, even native speakers forget that accent on éramos sometimes. Don't be that person! The accent makes you sound like a pro. The pronunciation is also very smooth. It flows off the tongue easily.

You use this tense for four main reasons. First, use it for physical and personality descriptions. 'My house era blue.' 'My teacher era very kind.' Second, use it for age in the past. In English, we say 'I was ten.' In Portuguese, we say 'Eu era criança' or use ter, but for states, ser is key. Third, use it for time and dates. 'It era three o'clock.' Fourth, use it for habitual actions. If you were a regular at a cafe, you say 'Eu era cliente lá.' It also works for jobs. 'I era a waiter before this.' It sets the stage for your life story. It’s perfect for job interviews when discussing past roles. It’s also great for ordering food when complaining. 'The soup era cold!' (though estar is often better for temporary states, ser works for inherent qualities).

Do not use this for specific, completed actions. If you went to the store once, use the preterite. If you were the president for exactly one day, use fui. The imperfect is for the 'long haul'. It is not for the 'one-off'. If you can put a specific 'X' on the calendar, avoid era. For example, 'Yesterday I was at the party' is usually fui or estive. But 'The party era boring' works because you are describing it. Avoid it when the action has a clear beginning and end. If you say 'I was a student for four years,' and you want to emphasize the completion, use fui. Using era makes it sound like a background detail. It's a subtle difference, but important.

The biggest trap is the nós form. People often write eramos without the accent. That is a big no-no! Always include the é. Another mistake is mixing up era and fui. Learners often use fui for descriptions. 'I was shy' should be 'Eu era tímido.' If you say 'Eu fui tímido,' it sounds like you were shy for a split second. Then you suddenly stopped. That sounds a bit robotic! Also, watch out for the plural eram. Don't confuse it with the present são. Sometimes people forget the 'm' at the end. Without the 'm', it changes the meaning or becomes gibberish. Think of the 'm' as the anchor for the plural past.

Let's compare era with fui. Fui is a camera flash. It is quick and finished. Era is a long video recording. It captures the whole scene. If you say 'O filme foi bom,' the movie ended and it was good. If you say 'O filme era bom,' you are describing its quality as a general fact. It's like the difference between a period and a comma. Also, compare it with estava. Era is for permanent or defining traits. Estava is for temporary feelings or locations. 'Eu era feliz' means you were a happy person. 'Eu estava feliz' means you were happy at that moment. Choose wisely! Your choice changes the whole vibe of the sentence.