A2 Past Tenses - Introduction 6 دقیقه مطالعه

Time Expressions with Imperfect

The Imperfect paints the continuous background and recurring habits of your past life story.

The Rule in 30 Seconds

  • Use it for habits like `siempre` or `cada día`.
  • Perfect for describing age using the verb `tenía`.
  • Sets the background scene with weather and time.
  • Use `mientras` to show two actions happening together.

Quick Reference

Expression Function Spanish Example
Siempre Habitual actions Siempre `comía` manzanas.
Cada año Recurring events Cada año `íbamos` a Italia.
Mientras Simultaneous actions Él `leía` mientras yo `cocinaba`.
Cuando era... Childhood / Age Cuando `era` joven, `tenía` un perro.
Eran las... Telling time Todo `estaba` oscuro. `Eran` las dos.
Hacía... Weather background `Hacía` mucho calor ese día.
A menudo Frequency `Visitaba` a mi abuela a menudo.

مثال‌های کلیدی

3 از 9
1

Antes yo `jugaba` al tenis cada tarde.

Before, I used to play tennis every afternoon.

2

Cuando `tenía` cinco años, me gustaba el chocolate.

When I was five years old, I liked chocolate.

3

Mientras tú `dormías`, yo `leía` un libro.

While you were sleeping, I was reading a book.

💡

The 'Used To' Hack

If you can say 'used to' or 'would' (meaning a habit) in English, you almost certainly need the Imperfect in Spanish.

⚠️

Ayer is the Enemy

Be careful! Using 'Ayer' (yesterday) with an imperfect verb is a very common mistake. Stick to the Preterite for single days.

The Rule in 30 Seconds

  • Use it for habits like `siempre` or `cada día`.
  • Perfect for describing age using the verb `tenía`.
  • Sets the background scene with weather and time.
  • Use `mientras` to show two actions happening together.

Overview

Think of your memory as a movie. Some parts are quick snapshots. Other parts are long, flowing background scenes. In Spanish, the Imperfect tense is that background scene. It doesn't care when things started. It doesn't care when they ended. It just shows you how things used to be. You use it to describe habits. You use it to set the stage. If you are talking about your childhood, you need this tense. If you are describing the weather yesterday, you need this tense. It is your best friend for storytelling. It makes your Spanish sound natural and fluid. Think of it as the paintbrush of the past. The Preterite is the hammer. The Imperfect is the soft colors behind the action. Yes, even native speakers mess this up sometimes. But don't worry. You will master this quickly. Let's dive into the world of the Imperfect.

How This Grammar Works

This grammar point relies on "trigger words." These are time expressions. They tell your brain to use the Imperfect. They signal that an action was repetitive. They show that an action was ongoing. Basically, these words are like traffic signs. They point you away from the Preterite. For example, siempre (always) is a classic trigger. If you did something "always," it wasn't a one-time event. Therefore, you use the Imperfect. The same goes for cada día (every day). These expressions link directly to the verb endings. You change the verb to show the "used to" aspect. It is like adding a filter to a photo. The time expression is the filter. The verb is the photo itself. Together, they create a clear picture of the past. It feels modern and engaging once you spot the patterns. You don't need to overthink it. Just look for the frequency of the action.

Formation Pattern

  1. 1Identify the verb type. Is it -ar, -er, or -ir? This is the first step.
  2. 2For -ar verbs, use the ending -aba. For example, hablar becomes hablaba.
  3. 3For -er and -ir verbs, use the ending -ía. For example, comer becomes comía.
  4. 4Match the verb with a time expression. Place the expression before or after.
  5. 5Example: Siempre + jugaba = Siempre jugaba. (I always used to play).
  6. 6Note that yo and él/ella forms are the same. You might need pronouns for clarity.
  7. 7There are only three irregular verbs: ser (era), ir (iba), and ver (veía).
  8. 8That's it! Only three! Most students celebrate this part. It's like finding a 20-euro note in an old jacket.

When To Use It

Use the Imperfect for childhood memories. Cuando era niño is the ultimate trigger. Use it to describe your old house. Use it for things you did every summer. For example, "Every summer, we íbamos to the beach." Use it for telling time in the past. If you want to say "It was three o'clock," say Eran las tres. Use it for weather descriptions. "It was raining" becomes Llovía. Use it for age. In Spanish, you "had" years. So, "I was ten" is Tenía diez años. Use it for physical and mental states. "I was tired" or "I was happy." Use it for background actions while something else happened. Think of it like a grammar traffic light. Green means keep the action going. It is perfect for ordering food you always liked. "I pedía the same pizza every Friday." It works for job interviews too. You can describe your old responsibilities. "I ayudaba to the manager every day."

When Not To Use It

Do not use the Imperfect for specific dates. If you say "Yesterday," use the Preterite. Ayer is a stop sign for the Imperfect. Do not use it for a specific number of times. "I went to Paris three times" needs the Preterite. The Imperfect hates being boxed in. It wants to be free and continuous. If the action has a clear beginning and end, stay away. Do not use it for sudden changes. "Suddenly, it started to rain." That "started" is a snapshot. It is not background scenery. Think of it like a movie script. The stage directions are Imperfect. The dialogue and big actions are Preterite. If you can put a clock on it, don't use Imperfect. It is for the "vibe" of the past, not the calendar.

Common Mistakes

Mixing up mientras and cuando is very common. Mientras (while) almost always takes the Imperfect. It shows two things happening at once. Cuando (when) can be tricky. It often introduces a sudden interruption. Another mistake is using ayer with the Imperfect. Students say Ayer jugaba. This sounds weird to natives. It's like saying "Yesterday I was always playing." It doesn't fit the timeframe. Also, watch out for the accent on -ía. Every -er and -ir ending needs that accent. Don't skip it! It changes the sound completely. Lastly, don't forget the three irregulars. People often try to say saba instead of era. Stick to the three magic verbs: ser, ir, and ver. Even the best students trip over these sometimes. Just laugh it off and keep going.

Contrast With Similar Patterns

The biggest contrast is with the Preterite. Think of the Preterite as a photo. Think of the Imperfect as a video. Ayer fui al cine (Yesterday I went to the movies). That is a photo. Iba al cine los sábados (I used to go to the movies on Saturdays). That is a video. One is a finished event. The other is a recurring habit. Another contrast is with the Present tense. You use siempre in both. Siempre como (I always eat) vs. Siempre comía (I always used to eat). The only difference is the verb ending. The time marker stays the same. It's like changing the tense on a time machine. You are in the same place, just a different year. This makes the language feel logical and structured. You are just shifting the scene back in time.

Quick FAQ

Q. Can I use siempre with the Preterite?

A. Rarely. Only if the habit is completely over and you specify the duration.

Q. How do I say "I used to" in Spanish?

A. There is no specific word. The Imperfect verb ending *is* the "used to."

Q. Is the Imperfect only for the distant past?

A. No. You can use it for something that happened an hour ago if it was a description.

Q. Why is it called "Imperfect"?

A. Because the action is not "perfected" or finished. It is still "ongoing" in the past.

Reference Table

Expression Function Spanish Example
Siempre Habitual actions Siempre `comía` manzanas.
Cada año Recurring events Cada año `íbamos` a Italia.
Mientras Simultaneous actions Él `leía` mientras yo `cocinaba`.
Cuando era... Childhood / Age Cuando `era` joven, `tenía` un perro.
Eran las... Telling time Todo `estaba` oscuro. `Eran` las dos.
Hacía... Weather background `Hacía` mucho calor ese día.
A menudo Frequency `Visitaba` a mi abuela a menudo.
💡

The 'Used To' Hack

If you can say 'used to' or 'would' (meaning a habit) in English, you almost certainly need the Imperfect in Spanish.

⚠️

Ayer is the Enemy

Be careful! Using 'Ayer' (yesterday) with an imperfect verb is a very common mistake. Stick to the Preterite for single days.

🎯

The Magic Three

Stop worrying about irregulars! Only 'ser', 'ir', and 'ver' are irregular. Everything else follows the pattern perfectly.

💬

Grandpa Stories

Stories from older generations always start with 'Antes' or 'En mis tiempos'. Listen for the '-aba' endings to follow along!

مثال‌ها

9
#1 Basic Habit

Antes yo `jugaba` al tenis cada tarde.

Focus: jugaba

Before, I used to play tennis every afternoon.

A classic example of a recurring past habit.

#2 Describing Age

Cuando `tenía` cinco años, me gustaba el chocolate.

Focus: tenía

When I was five years old, I liked chocolate.

Always use 'tenía' for age in the past.

#3 Simultaneous Actions

Mientras tú `dormías`, yo `leía` un libro.

Focus: dormías

While you were sleeping, I was reading a book.

'Mientras' is a huge trigger for the imperfect.

#4 Weather and Time

`Eran` las ocho y `hacía` mucho viento.

Focus: Eran

It was eight o'clock and it was very windy.

Setting the scene requires the imperfect.

#5 Formal Context

En aquel entonces, la ley `prohibía` fumar aquí.

Focus: prohibía

Back then, the law prohibited smoking here.

'En aquel entonces' is a formal way to say 'back then'.

#6 Mistake Corrected

✗ Ayer `iba` al cine. → ✓ Ayer fui al cine.

Focus: fui

Yesterday I went to the movies.

'Ayer' refers to a specific finished day, so use Preterite.

#7 Mistake Corrected

✗ Yo `tení` un gato. → ✓ Yo `tenía` un gato.

Focus: tenía

I had a cat.

Don't forget the 'a' at the end of the -ía ending.

#8 Advanced Habit

Nosotros `solíamos` caminar por el parque.

Focus: solíamos

We used to tend to walk through the park.

The verb 'soler' is great for emphasizing habits.

#9 Background Description

La ciudad `era` tranquila y la gente `parecía` feliz.

Focus: era

The city was quiet and the people seemed happy.

Descriptions of places and people use imperfect.

خودت رو بسنج

Choose the correct verb for describing a childhood habit.

Cuando yo ___ pequeño, siempre jugaba con legos.

✓ درسته! ✗ نه دقیقاً. پاسخ صحیح: era

'Cuando era pequeño' is a set phrase for describing your childhood background.

Which time expression fits the imperfect verb?

___ íbamos a la casa de mis tíos los domingos.

✓ درسته! ✗ نه دقیقاً. پاسخ صحیح: Normalmente

'Normalmente' indicates a recurring habit, which matches the imperfect 'íbamos'.

Identify the correct weather description.

Esa tarde ___ mucho sol.

✓ درسته! ✗ نه دقیقاً. پاسخ صحیح: hacía

Weather descriptions in the past almost always use the imperfect tense.

🎉 امتیاز: /3

ابزارهای بصری یادگیری

Photo vs. Video Tense

Preterite (Photo)
Ayer corrí Yesterday I ran
Una vez comí One time I ate
Imperfect (Video)
Siempre corría I always ran
Cada día comía Every day I ate

Choosing Your Past Tense

1

Is it a specific number of times?

YES ↓
NO
Consider Imperfect
2

Does it describe a habit or background?

YES ↓
NO
Use Preterite
3

Use Imperfect endings (-aba / -ía)

YES ↓
NO
Success!

Common Scenarios

⏰

Telling Time

  • • Era la una
  • • Eran las cinco
🎂

Age

  • • Tenía diez años
  • • Era joven
🌦️

Weather

  • • Hacía sol
  • • Llovía mucho

سوالات متداول

20 سوال

Yes, you can use antes to describe a habit that stopped just yesterday. For example, Antes comía carne, pero ahora soy vegano.

Almost always. It connects two ongoing actions, like Mientras yo estudiaba, él dormía. Both are background scenes.

Use phrases like Cuando era niño or De pequeño followed by verbs ending in -aba or -ía. It's the standard way to reminisce.

Both trigger the imperfect because they show repetition. Muchas veces is 'many times' and a veces is 'sometimes'.

In Spanish, the verb must match the hour. Since one is singular, use era. For two and up, use eran.

If you view it as a continuous habit during that year, use the imperfect. Example: Ese año, yo corría mucho.

Yes, but it changes the meaning. It implies the habit lasted for a fixed time and is now dead. It's much safer to use imperfect.

Yes, verbs like pensar or creer often use the imperfect to show an ongoing state of mind. Yo pensaba que... (I used to think that...).

Use había. It comes from the verb 'haber'. Example: Había mucha gente en la fiesta (There were many people at the party).

Yes! If you 'never used to' do something, it's an ongoing lack of habit. Nunca comía verduras.

Exactly the same. Both are excellent triggers for the imperfect tense. Choose whichever one you prefer.

Use the imperfect of 'ir' plus 'a'. Example: Iba a llamarte (I was going to call you). It shows an intention.

For -ar verbs, only the 'nosotros' form has an accent (hablábamos). For -er and -ir verbs, every form has an accent on the 'í'.

The ongoing action is Imperfect, and the interruption is Preterite. Yo dormía cuando el teléfono sonó.

It's a bit more formal than a menudo, but both work perfectly as triggers for the imperfect in any conversation.

You can say en esa época or en aquel entonces. Both will immediately signal to the listener that the imperfect is coming.

Absolutely. If you are describing what someone looked like in the past, use it. Ella era alta y tenía pelo rubio.

Not as a single verb form. We use 'used to', 'would', or 'was -ing' to capture the same feeling.

It's one of the three irregulars. It becomes veía. It's very common for talking about TV shows you used to watch.

Without it, your stories would just be a list of facts. The imperfect adds the flavor, the setting, and the emotions.

مفید بود؟

قواعد مرتبط

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