The Imperfect

Question 1

When do you use the Imperfect tense?

Answer 1

• express habitual or repeated actions
• express an action or state that was in progress in the past (not whether the action or state was completed)
• describe characteristics and conditions in the past
• Tell time in the past
• express a person’s age in the past

Question 2

Imperfect conjugations: AR verbs

Answer 2

aba ábamos
abas abais
aba aban

Question 3

Imperfect conjugations: ER/IR verbs

Answer 3

ía íamos
ías íais
ía ían

Question 4

Expressions that often accompany the imperfect

Answer 4

mientras---------------while
a veces --------------- sometimes, at times
siempre----------------always
generalmente------- generally 
frecuentemente---- frequently

Question 5

The Spanish imperfect has many english equivalents.

Ex) Mis amigos bailaban mucho.

Answer 5

My friends danced a lot.
My friends were dancing a lot.
My friends used to dance a lot. 
My friends would dance a lot. 
(all imply a repeated action)

Question 6

There are no stem changes in the imperfect.

Ex) dormir

Answer 6

dormía dormíamos
dormías
dormía dormían

Question 7

Three verbs that are irregular in imperfect.

Answer 7

ir, ser, ver

Question 8

Conjugate: IR

Answer 8

iba íbamos
ibas
iba iban

Question 9

Conjugate: SER

Answer 9

era éramos
eras
era eran

Question 10

Conjugate: VER

Answer 10

veía veíamos
veías
veía veían

Question 11

The imperfect form of HAY

Answer 11

había (there was, there were, there used to be)

Question 12

Conjugate: Hablar

Answer 12

hablaba hablábamos
hablabas
hablaba hablaban

Question 13

Conjugate: Comer

Answer 13

comía comíamos
comías
comía comían

Question 14

Conjugate: Vivir

Answer 14

vivía vivíamos
vivías
vivía vivían