Imperfect Tense

Question 1

I used to speak Spanish.

(the imperfect tense is used to express continuance as well as actions in the past that are habitual)

Answer 1

Yo hablaba español.

(to form the imperfect tense of regular -ar verbs, the ending is dropped and the appropriate ending is added)

Question 2

Who used to prepare the meal?

Answer 2

¿Quién preparaba la comida?

Question 3

Our parents used to work a lot.

Answer 3

Nuestros padres trabajaban mucho.

Question 4

You used to sing very well.

(to a friend)

Answer 4

Tú cantabas muy bien.

cantar → to sing

Question 5

Where did you used to spend the summers?

(to several people)

Answer 5

¿Dónde pasaban Uds. los veranos?

Question 6

We always used to walk through the park.

Answer 6

Nosotros siempre andábamos por el parque.

andar → to walk

Question 7

Why did you not used to listen to the radio?

(to a friend)

Answer 7

¿Por qué no escuchabas la radio?

escuchar → to listen to

Question 8

I used to play a lot of football.

Answer 8

Yo jugaba mucho al fútbol.

Question 9

When I was a boy, I used to go with my dad.

Answer 9

Cuándo yo era niño, yo acompañaba a mi papá.

acompañar → to accompany; to go with

Question 10

We used to visit my grandparents.

Answer 10

Nosotros visitábamos a mis abuelos.

visitar → to visit

Question 11

I adored my grandparents.

Answer 11

Yo adoraba a mis abuelos.

adorar → to adore; to love

Question 12

Grandma always used to give me a present.

Answer 12

Abuelita siempre me daba un regalo.

Question 13

Grandad always used to play with me.

Answer 13

Abuelito siempre jugaba conmigo.

Question 14

I used to have it very good with my grandparents.

Answer 14

Yo lo pasaba muy bien con mis abuelos.

Question 15

Grandma always used to make a meal that I liked.

Answer 15

Abuelita siempre preparaba una comida que me gustaba.

gustar → to like; to enjoy

Question 16

She cooked very well.

Answer 16

Ella cocinaba muy bien.

cocinar → to cook

Question 17

I remember that even at that time grandad used to help.

Answer 17

Yo recuerdo que aún en aquel tiempo abuelito ayudaba.

ayudar → to help

Question 18

While she cooked the stew, he used to prepare the salad or the dessert.

Answer 18

Mientras ella cocinaba el guiso, él preparaba la ensalada o el postre.

Question 19

Sometimes I spent the night at my grandparents house.

Answer 19

A veces yo pasaba la noche en casa de mis abuelos.

Question 20

Grandma used to put me to bed around ten at night.

Answer 20

Abuelita me acostaba a eso de las diez de la noche.

acostar → to put to bed

Question 21

Before I went to bed I used to kiss my grandparents.

Answer 21

Antes de acostarme yo besaba a mis abuelitos.

acostarse → to go to bed

Question 22

They were very happy when I used to give them a kiss.

Answer 22

Ellos estaban muy contentos cuando yo les daba un besito.

Question 23

And I was also very happy when they used to give me a kiss.

Answer 23

Y yo también estaba muy contento cuando ellos me daban un besito.

Question 24

There’s no doubt that we loved each other.

Answer 24

No hay duda que nosotros nos adorábamos.

Question 25

Carlos always used to read novels.

Answer 25

Carlos siempre leía novelas.

(to form the imperfect tense of regular -er and -ir verbs, the ending is dropped and the appropriate ending is added)

Question 26

The gentlemen used to come here very often.

Answer 26

Los señores venían aquí muy a menudo.

Question 27

Why did you used to eat so much?

(to a friend)

Answer 27

¿Por qué comías tú tanto?

Question 28

We used to receive a letter each day.

Answer 28

Nosotros recibíamos una carta cada día.

Question 29

They used to go out every Friday.

Answer 29

Ellos salían todos los viernes.

Question 30

You used to know Juan, didn’t you?

(to a friend)

Answer 30

Tú conocías a Juan, ¿no?

Question 31

I used to learn a lot.

Answer 31

Yo aprendía mucho.

Question 32

He always used to ask me a favour.

Answer 32

Él siempre me pedía un favor.

Question 33

We used to not want to leave.

Answer 33

Nosotros no queríamos salir.

Question 34

Juan used to know the truth.

Answer 34

Juan sabía la verdad.

Question 35

Carlos always used to eat in that restaurant over there.

Answer 35

Carlos siempre comía en aquel restaurante.

Question 36

They used to take a trip to Spain each summer.

Answer 36

Ellos hacían un viaje a España cada verano.

Question 37

I used to set the table each morning.

Answer 37

Yo ponía la mesa cada mañana.

Question 38

The children always used to receive presents.

Answer 38

Los niños siempre recibían regalos.

Question 39

I used to want to take a trip.

Answer 39

Yo quería hacer un viaje.

Question 40

We weren’t asking for anything.

Answer 40

Nosotros no pedíamos nada.

Question 41

Where did you used to live?

(to several people)

Answer 41

¿Dónde vivían Uds.?

Question 42

You used to come back each day at the same time.

(to a friend)

Answer 42

Tú volvías cada día a la misma hora.

Question 43

I read a lot now and I used to read a lot when I was a boy.

Answer 43

Yo leo mucho ahora y yo leía mucho cuando era niño.

Question 44

I eat a lot now and I used to eat a lot when I was a boy.

Answer 44

Yo como mucho ahora y yo comía mucho cuando yo era niño.

Question 45

I learn a lot now and I used to learn a lot when I was a boy.

Answer 45

Yo aprendo mucho ahora y yo aprendía mucho cuando era niño.

Question 46

I know a lot now and I used to know a lot when I was a boy.

Answer 46

Yo sé mucho ahora y yo sabía mucho cuando era niño.

Question 47

I go out a lot now and I used to go out a lot when I was a boy.

Answer 47

Yo salgo mucho ahora y yo salía mucho cuando era niño.

Question 48

Roberto always used to tell me that he thought that his friends ate and drank too much, but I always used to tell him that I thought he used to eat and drink too much.

Answer 48

Roberto siempre me decía que él creía que todos sus amigos comían y bebían demasiado pero yo siempre le decía a él que yo creía que él comía y bebía demasiado.

Question 49

They were always saying that they believed everything that they saw, but not everything that they read.

Answer 49

Ellos siempre decían que creían todo lo que veían pero no todo lo que leían.

Question 50

And I used to tell them that I knew and understood perfectly well why they used to say such a thing.

Answer 50

Y yo les decía que yo sabía y comprendía perfectamente bien por qué decían tal cosa.

Question 51

I neither believed everything that I used to read and sometimes I couldn’t believe everything that I saw.

Answer 51

Yo tampoco creía todo lo que leía y a veces no podía creer lo que veía.

Question 52

They used to go to the mountains every summer.

Answer 52

Ellos iban a las montañas cada verano.

(ir is irregular in the imperfect tense)

Question 53

We always used to see Juan.

Answer 53

Nosotros siempre veíamos a Juan.

(ver is irregular in the imperfect tense)

Question 54

I used to be happy.

Answer 54

Yo era feliz.

(ser is irregular in the imperfect tense)

Question 55

Juan used to be an engineer.

Answer 55

Juan era ingeniero.

Question 56

The boy always used to see his grandparents.

Answer 56

El niño siempre veía a sus abuelos.

Question 57

We always used to go by train.

Answer 57

Nosotros siempre íbamos en tren.

Question 58

When I was young, I used to go to the theatre a lot.

Answer 58

Cuando yo era joven, yo iba mucho al teatro.

Question 59

I used to be very fond of the theatre.

Answer 59

Yo era muy aficionada al teatro.

Question 60

I always went to the Municipal Theatre that used to be in the centre of the city.

Answer 60

Siempre iba al Teatro Municipal que estaba en el centro de la ciudad.

Question 61

I used to stand in line at the box office where I bought my ticket.

Answer 61

Yo hacía cola en la taquilla donde yo compraba mi entrada.

Question 62

As I wasn’t rich and I didn’t want to pay too much, I used to sit in the paradise because the tickets turned out cheaper.

Answer 62

Como yo no era rica y no quería pagar demasiado, yo me sentaba en el paraíso porque las entradas resultaban más baratas.

Question 63

The thing is that (they) cost me less.

Answer 63

Es que (ellas) me costaban menos.

Question 64

In the paradise I used to see a lot of friends because they were poor students too.

Answer 64

En el paraíso yo veía a muchos amigos porque ellos también eran estudiantes pobres.

Question 65

We used to go to the theatre with so much frequency because we followed a course in contemporary theatre at the university.

Answer 65

Nosotros íbamos al teatro con tanta frecuencia porque seguíamos un curso de teatro contemporáneo en la universidad.

Question 66

Juanito used to come here every day.

Answer 66

Juanito venía aquí todos los días.

(some adverbial expressions indicate continuance and therefore demand the use of the imperfect)

Question 67

The boats used to leave from the port each morning.

Answer 67

Los barcos salían del puerto cada mañana.

Question 68

We used to go to the beach very often.

Answer 68

Íbamos a la playa muy a menudo.

Question 69

You used to travel frequently.

(to a friend)

Answer 69

Tú viajabas frecuentemente.

Question 70

We always used to come back at the same time.

Answer 70

Nosotros siempre volvíamos a la misma hora.

Question 71

He changed his plans from time to time.

Answer 71

Él cambiaba los planes de vez en cuando.

Question 72

They used to say it many times.

Answer 72

Ellos lo decían muchas veces.

Question 73

I always used to study.

Answer 73

Yo siempre estudiaba.

Question 74

I always used to play with them.

Answer 74

Yo siempre jugaba con ellos.

Question 75

We used to visit them with frequency.

Answer 75

Nosotros los visitábamos con frecuencia.

Question 76

He didn’t used to want to go out.

Answer 76

Él no quería salir.

(mental processes involve duration or continuance, so they are often expressed in the imperfect tense)

Question 77

We used to be able to do the work.

Answer 77

Nosotros podíamos hacer el trabajo.

(mental activity)

Question 78

I was sorry to hear the bad news.

Answer 78

Yo sentía oír las malas noticias.

(mental activity)

Question 79

They strongly desired it.

Answer 79

Ellos lo deseaban fuertemente.

(mental activity)

Question 80

Carlos didn’t know the details.

Answer 80

Carlos no sabía los detalles.

(mental activity)

Question 81

We preferred traveling by plane.

Answer 81

Nosotros preferíamos viajar en avión.

(mental activity)

Question 82

We wanted to work.

Answer 82

Nosotros queríamos trabajar.

(mental activity)

Question 83

Why did you prefer working that way?

(to a friend)

Answer 83

¿Por qué preferías trabajar así?

(mental activity)

Question 84

What were you thinking?

Answer 84

¿En qué pensaba Ud.?

(mental activity)

Question 85

They thought that you knew it.

Answer 85

Ellos creían que Ud. lo sabía.

(mental activity)

Question 86

The gentleman used to be in the city.

Answer 86

El señor estaba en la ciudad.

(the imperfect tense is used to express discription in the past)

Question 87

But he wasn’t from the city.

Answer 87

Pero él no era de la ciudad.

(description in the past)

Question 88

He was from a small village that was located about one hundred kilometres from the city.

Answer 88

Era de en pueblo pequeño que quedaba a unos cien kilómetros de la ciudad.

(description in the past)

quedar a → to be located at

Question 89

The gentleman was about twenty years old.

Answer 89

El señor tenía unos veinte años.

(description in the past)

Question 90

He was tall and slim and had blue eyes and brown hair.

Answer 90

Era alto y delgado y tenía los ojos azules y el pelo castaño.

(description in the past)

Question 91

The poor man was tired and sad because he worked a lot and found himself far away from his family and his loved ones.

Answer 91

El pobre estaba cansado y triste porque trabajaba mucho y se encontraba lejos de su familia y de sus queridos.

(description in the past)

encontrarse → to find oneself; to be

Question 92

He felt like going back home.

Answer 92

Él tenía ganas de volver a casa.

(description in the past)

tener ganas de → to wish to; to feel up to

Question 93

He wanted to rest and to see his family, but he couldn’t because he had to keep working.

Answer 93

Quería descansar y ver a su familia pero no podía porque tenía que seguir trabajando.

(description in the past)

seguir → to continue to be; to keep

Question 94

His family needed the money that he earned and that he sent to them every week.

Answer 94

Su familia necesitaba el dinero que él ganaba y que les mandaba cada semana.

(description in the past)

Question 95

It was eleven at night and he was in bed, but he couldn’t fall asleep.

Answer 95

Eran las once de la noche y él estaba en la cama pero no podía conciliar el sueño.

(description in the past)

Question 96

He was cold because outside it was cold and snowing.

Answer 96

Él tenía frío porque afuera hacía frío y nevaba.

(description in the past)

Question 97

The poor gentleman didn’t have enough money to buy himself a blanket and the humble room that he rented had no heating.

Answer 97

El pobre señor no tenía suficiente dinero para comprarse una manta y el cuarto humilde que alquilaba no tenía calefacción.

(description in the past)

Question 98

When I was eleven years old, I lived with my family in Mexico.

Answer 98

Cuándo yo tenía once años, vivía con mi familia en México.

(the imperfect is used to express reminiscing)

Question 99

We all celebrated the Day of the Dead.

Answer 99

Todos nosotros celebrábamos el día de los Muertos.

(reminiscing)

Question 100

My grandmother prepared lots of food and we all went to the cemetery where “we ate” with our deceased relatives.

Answer 100

Mi abuela preparaba mucha comida y todos nosotros íbamos al cementerio donde “comíamos” con nuestros parientes difuntos.

(reminiscing)

Question 101

The children and adults wore masks and costumes.

Answer 101

Los niños y los adultos llevaban máscaras y disfraces.

(reminiscing)

Question 102

How long had it been since you had known it?

(to several people)

Answer 102

¿Cuánto tiempo hacía que Uds. lo sabían?

(the imperfect tense is used with the time expression hacía)

Question 103

It had been a long time since he hadn’t spoken to us.

Answer 103

Hacía mucho tiempo que él no nos hablaba.

Question 104

It had been two years since we had lived in the same apartment.

Answer 104

Hacía dos años que nosotros vivíamos en el mismo apartamento.

Question 105

It had been two months since María had known Juan.

Answer 105

Hacía dos meses que María conocía a Juan.

Question 106

It had been a long time since he had wanted to travel by plane.

Answer 106

Hacía mucho tiempo que él quería viajar en avión.

Question 107

It had been only five days that he had been sick.

Answer 107

Hacía sólo cinco días que él estaba enfermo.

Question 108

How long had it been since they had built that skyscraper over there?

Answer 108

¿Cuánto tiempo hacía que ellos construían aquel rascacielos?

Question 109

It had been a couple of months since she had told me the same thing.

Answer 109

Hacía un par de meses que ella me decía la misma cosa.