The imperfect tense (AQA GCSE Spanish): Revision Notes
The imperfect tense
The imperfect tense is one of the most useful past tenses in Spanish. It helps you describe what life was like in the past, talk about things people used to do regularly, and paint a picture of past situations. Unlike the preterite tense which focuses on completed actions, the imperfect gives us a window into ongoing past experiences.
Understanding when to use the imperfect tense
The imperfect tense serves three main purposes in Spanish, each helping you express different aspects of past experiences.
Describing past habits and repeated actions
When you want to talk about things that happened regularly or repeatedly in the past, the imperfect is your go-to tense. These are actions that didn't happen just once, but were part of a routine or pattern. For example, if you played tennis every day as a child, or if you always used to sort the rubbish on certain days, you'd use the imperfect tense.
Look out for time expressions that signal repeated actions, such as "todos los días" (every day), "siempre" (always), or "cada semana" (every week). These are strong indicators that you should use the imperfect tense.
Describing past states and conditions
The imperfect also helps you describe how things were in the past - their appearance, cost, location, or general state. When you want to paint a picture of past circumstances or describe the backdrop against which other events took place, the imperfect provides that descriptive foundation.
Expressing what people used to do
This tense is perfect for talking about past lifestyles, jobs, or general ways of living that are no longer the case. It captures the essence of "how things used to be" in someone's life.
Forming the imperfect tense with regular verbs
Creating the imperfect tense with regular verbs follows a straightforward pattern. You simply remove the infinitive ending (-ar, -er, or -ir) and add the appropriate imperfect endings.
Worked Example: -ar verbs (hablar - to speak)
Step 1: Remove the -ar ending from "hablar" → "habl-"
Step 2: Add the imperfect endings:
- I used to speak: hablaba
- You used to speak: hablabas
- He/she used to speak: hablaba
- We used to speak: hablábamos
- You (plural) used to speak: hablabais
- They used to speak: hablaban
Worked Example: -er and -ir verbs (comer/vivir)
Step 1: Remove the -er/-ir ending → "com-"/"viv-"
Step 2: Add the same imperfect endings for both:
- I used to eat/live: comía/vivía
- You used to eat/live: comías/vivías
- He/she used to eat/live: comía/vivía
- We used to eat/live: comíamos/vivíamos
- You (plural) used to eat/live: comíais/vivíais
- They used to eat/live: comían/vivían
Here's a helpful tip: -er and -ir verbs share exactly the same endings in the imperfect tense, making them easier to remember. This cuts your memorisation work in half!
Dealing with irregular verbs in the imperfect
Good news! The imperfect tense has only three irregular verbs to memorise. This makes it much simpler than other Spanish tenses.
The Three Irregular Verbs in Imperfect
These three verbs appear frequently in Spanish, so it's worth spending extra time learning their imperfect forms thoroughly:
Ir (to go): iba, ibas, iba, íbamos, ibais, iban
Ser (to be): era, eras, era, éramos, erais, eran
Ver (to see): veía, veías, veía, veíamos, veíais, veían
Distinguishing between preterite and imperfect
Understanding when to use the imperfect versus the preterite can be tricky, but there's a clear distinction. The preterite tense describes single, completed events that happened at a specific time. Think of it as taking a snapshot of a completed action. The imperfect describes ongoing, repeated, or habitual actions in the past - like watching a film of how things used to be.
Key Distinction: Snapshot vs. Film
- Preterite = Snapshot: Single, completed actions at specific times
- Imperfect = Film: Ongoing, repeated, or habitual past actions
For instance, if there used to be a castle near where you lived, you'd use the imperfect to describe that ongoing past situation. But if you went to visit that castle on a specific day, you'd use the preterite for that single, completed action.
Key vocabulary table
| Spanish | English | Usage tip |
|---|---|---|
| antes | before | Often signals imperfect usage |
| siempre | always | Indicates habitual actions |
| todos los días | every day | Shows repeated past actions |
| era | was/used to be | Imperfect of 'ser' |
| tenía | had/used to have | Imperfect of 'tener' |
| jugaba | played/used to play | Imperfect of 'jugar' |
| trabajaba | worked/used to work | Imperfect of 'trabajar' |
| vivía | lived/used to live | Imperfect of 'vivir' |
Example sentences with translations
Practice Examples: Using the Imperfect Tense
Describing past habits:
- Jugaba al tenis todos los días. (I used to play tennis every day.)
- Antes no separaba la basura. (I didn't use to sort the rubbish before.)
Describing past states:
- El hotel era caro. (The hotel was expensive.)
- Cerca de aquí había un castillo. (There used to be a castle near here.)
Expressing past occupations:
- Antes, trabajaba en un café. Ahora ayudo en una tienda. (Before, I used to work in a café. Now I help in a shop.)
Grammar and pronunciation tips
Essential Grammar Tips
- Remember that -er and -ir verbs share identical imperfect endings - this halves your memorisation work!
- The stress in imperfect forms usually falls on the second-to-last syllable
- Watch out for accent marks, especially in first and third person forms (hablaba, comía, vivía)
- The imperfect often appears with time expressions like "antes" (before), "siempre" (always), and "todos los días" (every day)
Translation practice
Translation Practice Exercise
Spanish to English:
- Mi hermano trabajaba en la piscina todos los veranos.
- Cuando yo era joven, íbamos al mercado aquí los viernes.
English to Spanish: 3. I used to eat lots of sweets when I was young. 4. My little sister always used to cry when she was small.
Answers:
- My brother used to work at the swimming pool every summer.
- When I was young, we used to go to the market here on Fridays.
- Comía muchos caramelos cuando era joven.
- Mi hermanita siempre lloraba cuando era pequeña.
Key Points to Remember:
- The imperfect tense describes past habits, repeated actions, and ongoing past states
- Regular -er and -ir verbs share the same imperfect endings, making them easier to learn
- Only three verbs are irregular in the imperfect: ir, ser, and ver
- Use the imperfect for "used to" and "was/were doing" concepts in English
- Time expressions like "antes", "siempre", and "todos los días" often signal imperfect usage