Spanish Imperfect Tense Overview

Overview

This lecture introduces the Spanish imperfect tense, focusing on regular -ar verbs, their conjugations, usage, and key differences from the preterit tense.

Introduction to the Imperfect Tense

• The imperfect is another past tense in Spanish, different from the preterit.
• It is considered easy to learn because only three verbs are irregular.

Conjugating Regular -ar Verbs in the Imperfect

• Example with "bailar" (to dance): yo bailaba, tú bailabas, él/ella/ud bailaba, nosotros bailábamos, ellos/ellas/uds bailaban.
• "Yo" and "él/ella/ud" forms share the same ending.
• Use the subject pronoun for clarity when needed.
• The "nosotros" form is pronounced by saying the "yo" form and adding "mos."
• No stem changers or irregularities for -ar verbs in the imperfect.

More Examples with -ar Verbs

• "Trabajar" (to work) conjugates as: yo trabajaba, tú trabajabas, él trabajaba, nosotros trabajábamos, ellos trabajaban, etc.
• Sample sentences:
  • Yo trabajaba en el restaurante. ("I used to work in the restaurant.")
  • Guillermo trabajaba en el cine. ("Guillermo used to work in the movie theater.")

Usage of the Imperfect

• Imperfect is used for past habits, repeated actions, or ongoing actions in the past.
• Typically translates as "used to," "was/were -ing," or actions that were not completed.

Practice Examples

• Yo cantaba: I used to sing / I was singing.
• Ellos bailaban: They used to dance / They were dancing.
• Nosotros jugábamos: We used to play / We were playing.
• Uds visitaban: You all used to visit / You all were visiting.
• Ellas trabajaban: They (females) used to work / were working.
• Tú nadabas: You used to swim / were swimming.
• Ellos hablaban: They used to talk / were talking.
• Ud viajaba: You (formal) used to travel / were traveling.
• Yo tocaba: I used to play / was playing.
• Guillermo y María manejaban: Guillermo and Maria used to drive / were driving.

Key Terms & Definitions

• Imperfect tense — a past tense in Spanish for habitual, repeated, or ongoing past actions.
• Conjugation — changing a verb's ending to match the subject and tense.
• -ar verb endings (imperfect) — aba, abas, aba, ábamos, aban.

Action Items / Next Steps

• Review the -ar verb imperfect endings chart.
• Prepare for the next lesson on the imperfect for -er and -ir verbs.