Descriptive Background in Imperfect

This tense focuses on the duration of an action. It looks at things that were ongoing. We use it for actions with no clear end. Imagine a video playing on a loop. That is the Imperfeito in action. It contrasts with the Pretérito Perfeito. The Perfeito is like a single snapshot. The Imperfeito is the whole video clip. It describes states of being in the past. It also covers habits you used to have. If you did it often, use this tense. It is the "used to" or "was doing" tense. It makes your Portuguese feel smooth and descriptive.

1. 1Start with the infinitive form of the verb.
2. 2Remove the ending like -ar, -er, or -ir.
3. 3For -ar verbs, add the ava endings.
4. 4For -er and -ir verbs, add ia endings.
5. 5Learn the four main irregular verbs by heart.
6. 6These are ser, ter, vir, and pôr.
7. 7Ser becomes era, eras, era, éramos, eram.
8. 8Ter becomes tinha, tinhas, tinha, tínhamos, tinham.
9. 9Vir becomes vinha, vinhas, vinha, vínhamos, vinham.
10. 10Pôr becomes punha, punhas, punha, púnhamos, punham.
11. 11Regular -ar verbs use ávamos for the nós form.
12. 12Regular -er and -ir verbs use íamos for nós.

Use it to describe people in the past. Ela era muito alta e simpática. Use it for the weather during an event. Estava chovendo quando o show começou. It is perfect for telling someone's age. Eu tinha vinte anos naquela época. Use it for time in the past. Eram duas horas da tarde. It works for physical or mental states. Eu me sentia muito cansado ontem. Use it for recurring habits or routines. Nós íamos à praia todos os domingos. It is also great for polite requests. Eu queria um copo de água. This sounds much softer than a direct command. Use it to set the scene for stories. A casa era velha e cheia de sombras.

Do not use it for specific, finished actions. If you did it once, use Perfeito. Eu comi uma maçã means you finished it. Eu comia uma maçã means you were eating it. Avoid it for actions with a clear time limit. If you say "for two hours," use Perfeito. Eu estudei por duas horas is the correct way. The Imperfeito hates being put in a box. It prefers vague timeframes and ongoing situations. Using it for a sudden interruption is a mistake. The interruption itself should be in the Perfeito. Think of it like a grammar traffic light. Green means keep going with the Imperfeito. Red means stop with the Perfeito.

Many people forget the accent on the nós form. Estávamos and comíamos always need that little hat. Another mistake is using ser instead of estar. Use era for traits and estava for states. Eu era doente sounds like a permanent condition. Eu estava doente means you just had a cold. Don't forget the four irregular verbs. They are small but they appear everywhere. Mixing up -ava and -ia is also common. Remember that -ar verbs are the only ones with v. Yes, even native speakers mess this up sometimes. Just keep practicing and it will become natural.

The biggest rival is the Pretérito Perfeito. The Perfeito is for the "what happened" part. The Imperfeito is for the "how it was" part. Think of a play on a stage. The actors moving are the Perfeito. The painted scenery behind them is the Imperfeito. In English, we often use "used to". I used to play becomes Eu jogava. We also use "was/were -ing". I was playing also becomes Eu jogava. This makes the Portuguese version very versatile. It covers two English structures in one. It is like a two-for-one deal at the supermarket.