Imperfect AR Verbs: hablaba, hablabas...

The Imperfect tense focuses on the process. It does not care when an action finished. It only cares that it was happening. Imagine you are watching an old home video. Everything you see is in the Imperfect. You were playing in the yard. The sun was shining. You were wearing a red shirt. In English, we often translate this as "used to" or "was doing." For example, yo hablaba can mean "I used to talk." It can also mean "I was talking." The context of your conversation will decide the meaning. It is a very flexible and forgiving tense.

1. 1Forming the Imperfect for -ar verbs is simple. You follow a very predictable pattern. There are almost no surprises here. Just follow these three steps:
2. 2Start with the infinitive verb (like hablar).
3. 3Remove the -ar ending to find the stem (habl-).
4. 4Add the specific Imperfect endings.
5. 5Here are the endings you need to memorize:
6. 6yo: -aba
7. 7tú: -abas
8. 8él/ella/usted: -aba
9. 9nosotros/nosotras: -ábamos (Note the accent!)
10. 10vosotros/vosotras: -abais
11. 11ellos/ellas/ustedes: -aban
12. 12Notice that the yo and él/ella forms are identical. This is a common feature of this tense. You might need to use pronouns to be clear. "I was dancing" and "He was dancing" both use bailaba. It is like a grammar twin situation.

You will use the Imperfect in several specific scenarios. Think of the acronym "ALTD" to help you remember.

• Habitual Actions: Things you did repeatedly. Yo jugaba al fútbol los lunes. (I used to play soccer on Mondays).
• Descriptions: Setting the scene or describing people. La casa era grande y tenía flores. (The house was big and had flowers).
• Age: In Spanish, we "had" years in the past. Tenía diez años. (I was ten years old).
• Time: Telling time in the past. Eran las cinco. (It was five o'clock).
• Ongoing Actions: What was happening when something else occurred. Yo caminaba cuando vi al perro. (I was walking when I saw the dog).

Think of it like a grammar traffic light. The green light means the action is still moving in your mind.

Do not use the Imperfect for specific, completed events. If you can put a precise timestamp on it, use the Preterite. For example, "I bought a car yesterday" is not Imperfect. That is a one-time completed action. If you say compraba un coche, it sounds like you were in the middle of buying it for a long time. Or maybe you used to buy cars every day (must be nice!). Avoid it for sudden changes. If something "started" or "ended" abruptly, the Imperfect is the wrong choice. It is for the flow, not the finish line.

The most common mistake is the missing accent. The nosotros form MUST have an accent on the first 'a'. It is hablábamos, not hablabamos. If you forget it, you are technically speaking a different language. Another mistake is mixing up the yo and él forms. Since they look the same, context is king. If you just say trabajaba, your friend might ask, "Who? You or your boss?" Yes, even native speakers clarify this sometimes. Finally, don't try to use these endings for -er or -ir verbs. They have their own set of rules. Keep the aba family strictly for the -ar crowd.

The biggest rival of the Imperfect is the Preterite. Think of the Preterite as a hammer. It hits a point in time and finishes. The Imperfect is like a river. It flows and describes the journey.

• Preterite: Hablé con ella. (I spoke with her once).
• Imperfect: Hablaba con ella. (I was speaking with her/I used to speak with her).

If you are telling a story about a job interview, use the Imperfect for the background. Llevaba una corbata azul. (I was wearing a blue tie). Use the Preterite for the action. Entré en la oficina. (I entered the office). It is the difference between the scenery and the plot twists.