Verb Notebook
Advanced Spanish
Verbs
1. Hablar
2. Comer
3. Vivir
4. Ser
5. Estar
6. Ir
7. Dar
8. Ver
9. leer
10.Pagar
21.traer
11.tocar
31.seguir
12.Aprender 22.Venir
32.oír
23.Saber
13.Tener
14.Querer 24.conocer
15.comenzar 25.lavarse
16.dormir 26.acostarse
27.divertirse
17.poder
28.andar
18.poner
29.decir
19.Salir
30.pedir
20.hacer
Imperfect Past Tense Verbs
Explanation and conjugations
Imperfect Tense Notes
3. Imperfect tense
How to form regular verbs:
1: drop the infinitive ending (-ar, -er, -ir)
2: add the appropriate Imperfect tense endings to match the subject.
-ar verb endings
-er /-ir endings
aba
ábamos
ía
íamos
abas
abais
ías
íais
aba
aban
ía
ían
Note: There are only 3 irregular verbs: Ver, ser, and Ir
Ver - Veía, veías, veía, veíamos, veíais, veían
Ser – era, eras, era, éramos, erais, eran
Ir – iba, ibas, iba, íbamos, ibais, iban
Continuation of notes
When to use it
• In general, The Imperfect tense is used for
used for actions in the past that are not
seen as completed. It implies that the past
action did not have a definite beginning
or a definite end.
• Translate the Imperfect tense as
was/were ...ing, used to ...,
would (meaning used to) …
Continuation of notes
• The imperfect is used for actions that
were repeated habitually.
– Almorzábamos juntos todos los días.
We would lunch together every day.
– Las señoras siempre charlaban por las
mañanas.
The ladies would always chat in the
mornings.
Continuation of notes
• The imperfect is used for actions that "set
the stage" for another action.
– Yo leía cuando entró mi papá.
I was reading when my papa entered. (note
that "entered" is preterite)
• The imperfect is used for telling time,
describing weather, and stating one's age.
– Eran las siete de la noche.
It was seven o'clock at night.
– La niña tenía cinco años.
The little girl was five years old.
Continuation of notes
• One does not normally think of a general
mental state or physical sensations as
having a definite beginning or end, and so
they are usually expressed in the
imperfect.
– Ramón tenía miedo de hablar en público.
Ramón was afraid to speak in public.
– Yo creía que Juan podía hacerlo.
I thought that Juan could do it.
– Me gustaba el coche.
I liked the car. (The car was pleasing to me.)
Continuation of notes
• The imperfect is used to describe how things
were or what things were like. Use the
imperfect when describing the characteristics
of people, things or conditions.
– Era un muchacho muy inteligente.
He was a very intelligent boy.
– Era una señorita muy guapa.
She was a beautiful young lady.
– Las ventanas estaban abiertas.
The windows were open.
– La casa era blanca.
The house was white.
Continuation of notes
Preterite vs. Imperfect
• Some verbs actually change meaning,
depending upon whether they are used in
the preterite or the imperfect.
Pret.
Imperfect
–
–
–
–
–
–
Conocer
Querer
no querer
Saber
Poder
Tener
met
tried
refused
found out
succeeded in
received
Used to know/knew
wanted
did not want
Used to know, knew
was able to
used to have
Continuation of notes
• Spanish has two past tenses: preterite and
imperfect. Most verbs can be put into
either tense, depending upon the
meaning.
• Some words and phrases indicate specific
time frames, and therefore signal the use
of the preterite.
• Other words and phrases indicate
repetitive, vague or non-specific time
frames, and therefore signal the use of the
imperfect.
Continuation of notes
Expressions that signal use of preterite
Ayer (yesterday)
la semana pasada (last week)
anoche (last night)
el mes pasado (last month)
el otro día (the other day)
el año pasado (last year)
entonces (then)
hace dos días, años (two days, years ago)
esta mañana(this morning)
ayer por la mañana (yesterday morning)
Expressions that signal use of
imperfect
a menudo (often)
generalmente (usually)
a veces (sometimes)
muchas veces (many times)
cada día (every day)
siempre (always)
cada año (every year)
todo el tiempo (all the time)
de vez en cuando (from time to time)
varias veces (several times)
Continuation of notes
Compare the following sentences.
COMPLETED ACTION
REPEATED, HABITUAL ACTION
(Preterite)
(imperfect)
Ellos fueron al cine el sábado pasado. Ellos iban al cine todos los sábados.
They went to the movies last Saturday. They went (used to go) to the movies every
Saturday.
Ayer se sentaron en la última fila.
Yesterday they sat in the last row.
Siempre se sentaban en la primera fila.
They always sat (would sit) in the first row.
Anoche se acostaron temprano.
Last night they went to bed early.
Todas las noches se acostaban tarde.
Every night they went (would go) to bed late.
Continuation of notes
Two actions in one sentence
Narrating a sequence of events
1. Often a sentence may have two or more verbs in the past. The verbs may be in the
same tense or in different tenses. In the sentence below, both verbs are in the
preterite. Both describe simple actions that began and ended at a specific time in the
past.
Laura llegó ayer y Pepe la vio. Laura arrived yesterday and Pepe saw her.
2. In the sentence below, the two verbs are in the imperfect because they both describe
habitual or continuous actions. The moment when the actions began or ended is
unimportant.
Durante los inviernos, Adela iba a las montañas a esquiar, pero yo trabajaba.
During the winters, Adela went(would go) to the mountains to ski, but I would work.
3. In the sentence below, the verb estudiaba is in the imperfect; it describes the
background—what was going on. The verb in the preterite, entró, expresses the action
or event that interrupted the ongoing action.
Yo estudiaba cuando Julia entró. I was studing when Julia entered.
• Adapted for Unit 3 (Buen Viaje)
• By Beth Ranucci