Pretérito Imperfecto

Question 1

a menudo

Answer 1

often

Question 2

a veces

Answer 2

sometimes

Question 3

cada día

Answer 3

every day

Question 4

cada semana

Answer 4

every week

Question 5

cada mes

Answer 5

every month

Question 6

cada año

Answer 6

every year

Question 7

con frecuencia

Answer 7

frequently

Question 8

de vez en cuando

Answer 8

from time to time

Question 9

en aquella época

Answer 9

at that time

Question 10

frecuentemente

Answer 10

frequently

Question 11

generalmente

Answer 11

usually

Question 12

muchas veces

Answer 12

many times

Question 13

mucho

Answer 13

a lot

Question 14

nunca

Answer 14

never

Question 15

por un rato

Answer 15

for awhile

Question 16

siempre

Answer 16

always

Question 17

tantas veces

Answer 17

so many times

Question 18

todas las semanas

Answer 18

every week

Question 19

todos los días

Answer 19

every day

Question 20

todo el tiempo

Answer 20

all the time

Question 21

varias veces

Answer 21

several times

Question 22

Imperfect: ser

Answer 22

era

eras

era

éramos

erais

eran

Question 23

Imperfect: ir

Answer 23

iba

ibas

iba

íbamos

ibais

iban

Question 24

Imperfect: ver

Answer 24

veía

veías

veía

veíamos

veíais

veían

Question 25

-ar verb conjugation

Answer 25

aba hablaba

abas hablabas

aba hablaba

ábamos hablábamos

abais hablabais

aban hablaban

Question 26

-er and -ir verb conjugation

Answer 26

ía comía vivía

ías comías vivías

ía comía vivía

íamos comíamos vivíamos

íais comíais vivíais

ían comían vivían

Question 27

Use of imperfect

Answer 27

• Used for past actions that are not seen as completed.
  
  • Can’t determine when the action:
    
    • began or ended
    • exact time it occured
    • # of times it occured
• Physical Characteristics
  
  • Descriptions involving a person/profession/role in the past is imperfect
  • or what things were like
  • Era alto y guapo
• Habitual or Repeated actions
  
  • Almorzábamos juntos todos los días.
• Events or Actions that were in progress.
  
  • Yo leía cuando entró mi papá. (entered is preterite)
• Telling time and stating one’s age.
  
  • Eran las siete de la noche.
  • La niña tenia cinco años.

Question 28

“ing” in the past

Answer 28

Indicates actions in the past (I was working) generally omits mention of a specific length of time.

• Yo tocaba la guitarra y juan cantaba.

Question 29

Mental or emotional states or physical sensation

Answer 29

Feelings and mental actions usually aren’t bound by time or number of occurrences. Thus continuous.

• Yo esperaba el autobús.
• No creíamos el cuento.
• Estabas cansado.
• Romeo amaba mucho a Julieta.
• Hacía buen tiempo. (it was nice out)

Question 30

“Would” and “Could”

Answer 30

Would and Could are the equivalent of “used to”.

• Cuando yo era joven, jugaba al béisbol cada fin de semana.

Could is the equivalent to “was able to”, or “were able to”.

• Cuando yo vivía en Florida, podía nadar todo el año.

Question 31

Clock time and age in the past

Answer 31

Always use imperfect when referring to the time of day or one’s age in the past.

Use SER for Clock time

Use TENER for age

References to time and age are often made with regard to other actions - which are often in the preterite.

• Era la una cuando llegué. (Imperfect + Preterite)
• Eran las ocho y media cuando me desperté.
• Yo tenía diez años cuando conocí a Juan.
• No conocía a Juan cuando tenía ocho años.

Question 32

Había - hay in the past

Answer 32

from the verb haber

Means “there was” and “there were”

Question 33

“Going to” do something in the past

Answer 33

“Going to” do something is a mental expression (no physical action taking place) therefore imperfect.

• Yo iba a comprar un carro.
• Íbamos a comer.
• Ibais a darme dinero.

Question 34

The progressive in the past

Answer 34

Two ways to express:

1. Use the imperfect tense.
2. Use estar + present participle (where estar is conjugated in the imperfect.

• Yo estaba hablando
• Etábamos comiendo.
• Él estaba cepillándose los dientes.

Question 35

reverse

often

Answer 35

a menudo

Question 36

reverse

sometimes

Answer 36

a veces

Question 37

reverse

every day

Answer 37

cada día

Question 38

reverse

every week

Answer 38

cada semana

Question 39

reverse

every month

Answer 39

cada mes

Question 40

reverse

every year

Answer 40

cada año

Question 41

reverse

frequently

Answer 41

con frecuencia

Question 42

reverse

from time to time

Answer 42

de vez en cuando

Question 43

reverse

at that time

Answer 43

en aquella época

Question 44

reverse

frequently

Answer 44

frecuentemente

Question 45

reverse

usually

Answer 45

generalmente

Question 46

reverse

many times

Answer 46

muchas veces

Question 47

reverse

a lot

Answer 47

mucho

Question 48

reverse

never

Answer 48

nunca

Question 49

reverse

for awhile

Answer 49

por un rato

Question 50

reverse

always

Answer 50

siempre

Question 51

reverse

so many times

Answer 51

tantas veces

Question 52

reverse

every week

Answer 52

todas las semanas

Question 53

reverse

every day

Answer 53

todos los días

Question 54

reverse

all the time

Answer 54

todo el tiempo

Question 55

reverse

several times

Answer 55

varias veces