Spanish Imperfect Tense (Pretérito Imperfecto): Conjugation, Uses & Examples
Learn how to use the Spanish Imperfect tense with clear rules, conjugation patterns, time expressions, and essential examples for fluent storytelling.
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Spanish Exercises. Your Questions Answered.
Explore the most common questions about our Spanish Imperfect Past Tense Exercises and how Elayaa makes learning interactive, simple, and effective.
💡 What is the Spanish Imperfect tense (Pretérito Imperfecto)?
The Imperfect is a past tense used to describe ongoing actions, repeated habits, background details, and situations without a defined beginning or end.
💡 What are the main uses of the Imperfect?
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Past habits and routines
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Ongoing or continuous past actions
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Background descriptions (weather, age, feelings)
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Setting the scene in storytelling
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Indirect speech in the past
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Actions interrupted by another action (interrupting action → Preterite)
💡 How do you conjugate regular verbs in the Imperfect?
-AR: hablaba, hablabas, hablaba, hablábamos, hablabais, hablaban
-ER/-IR: comía, comías, comía, comíamos, comíais, comían
💡 Which verbs are irregular in the Imperfect?
There are only three irregular verbs:
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ser → era, eras, era, éramos, erais, eran
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ir → iba, ibas, iba, íbamos, ibais, iban
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ver → veía, veías, veía, veíamos, veíais, veían
💡 When do you use Imperfect vs. Preterite?
Use Imperfect for background, descriptions, and ongoing actions in the past.
Use Preterite for completed, specific, one-time actions in the past.
💡 What time expressions are common with the Imperfect?
Siempre, a menudo, generalmente, normalmente, de niño, todos los días, mientras, antes.
💡 Can the Imperfect express polite requests or wishes?
Yes, especially with verbs like querer, poder, and deber:
"Quería pedirte un favor" (I wanted to ask you a favor).
💡 Does the Imperfect describe mental or emotional states?
Yes, it’s used for feelings, thoughts, and conditions in the past:
"Ella estaba triste" (She was sad).
💡 Is the Imperfect used in storytelling?
Yes, it sets the scene: weather, time, age, descriptions, ongoing actions.
💡 How can I practice the Spanish Imperfect effectively?
Through narratives, past routines, contrast exercises (Imperfect vs. Preterite), and structured online drills.