Imperfect Tense
When to Use It
The imperfect tense is used in Spanish to:
- Describe actions that were ongoing or in progress in the past.
- Talk about habitual or repeated past actions.
- Provide background information or set the scene in a story.
- Describe physical, mental, or emotional states in the past.
- Tell time or give age in the past.
Key Uses
Formation
The imperfect tense is formed by removing the infinitive ending (-ar, -er, -ir) and adding the imperfect endings.
-ar Verbs
-er and -ir Verbs
Irregular Verbs
There are only three irregular verbs in the imperfect tense:ir,ser, andver. Their stems change, but they still follow the imperfect endings.
ir — to go
ser — to be
ver — to see
Examples
Summary
The imperfect tense is used to describe past actions without a definite beginning or end, focusing on the process, habit, or background rather than the completion. It is commonly used for setting scenes, describing conditions, and talking about routines in the past.
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Last updated: Thu Jul 17, 2025