El imperfecto Profesora T.J. Martín
El pasado • • • • • •
I went to the store once. I went to the store 5 times. I used to go to the store. I was going to the store. When I was young, I’d go to the store a lot. I have gone to the store.
¿? • I used to go to the store. • I was going to the store. • When I was young, I’d go to the store a lot. • The above three types of past tense in Spanish are all combined in el imperfecto. • El imperfecto expresses actions that either… – happened in the past multiple times, habitually or in a routine – or are being described as in the process of happening
El imperfecto • El imperfecto expresses actions that either… – happened in the past multiple times, habitually or in a routine • When I was young, I ate broccoli every day. • I used to go swimming on the weekends. • For Christmas we’d go to my grandma’s house to celebrate.
– or are being described as in the process of happening • He was talking on the phone when… • What were you doing? We were eating.
El imperfecto • We also use el imperfecto… – To say what time it was – To say what day it was – To describe the setting or people before telling the actions of a story – To say how old someone was
Got it? • Actions in the process of happening in the past • Habitual or routine actions in the past • Time, age, and date in the past • Description of setting or people in the past
¿Cómo formamos el imperfecto? • Los verbos –ar – aba, -abas, -aba, -ábamos, -abais, -aban
• Los verbos –ir y –er – Ía, -ías, -ía, -íamos, -íais, -ían
• Los irregulares: ¡solamente 3! – Ser: era, eras, era, éramos, erais, eran – Ir: iba, ibas, iba, íbamos, ibais, iban – Ver: veía, veías, veíamos, veíais, veían
Ejemplos hablar hablaba
hablábamos
hablabas hablaba
comer comía
escribir
comíamos
comías comía
hablaban
escribía
escribíamos
escribías comían
escribía
escribían
-aba
-ábamos
-abas -aba
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.
-aban
Prácticas
asistir – yo bailar – tú andar en patineta – ella desayunar – nosotros jugar – usted enseñar – ustedes tener – él dormir - ellos
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.
-ía
-íamos
-ías -ía
-ían
asistía bailabas andaba en patineta desayunábamos jugaba enseñaban tenía dormían
Triggers for el imperfecto • When you see these words, usually it will be el imperfecto – siempre – nunca – a veces – muchas veces – todos los días – frecuentemente – todo el tiempo – cada día – varias veces
always never sometimes many times every day frequently all the time every day many times
Prácticas – Traduce las frases 1. I used to go to grandma’s house every December. 2. In 1998 I was 10 years old. 3. It was five o’clock. 4. The flowers were pretty, the mountains were blue, and the children were playing. 5. It was November. 6. We’d never go to the beach. 7. Every day I’d go to the store. 8. She frecuently skiied at Steven’s Pass.
Respuestas– Traducciones 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.
Iba a la casa de mi abuela cada diciembre. En el año 1998 yo tenía diez años. Eran las cinco. Las flores eran bonitas, las montañas eran azules, y los niños jugaban. Era noviembre. Nunca íbamos a la playa. Todos los días iba a la tienda. Frecuentemente (ella) esquiaba en Steven’s Pass.
EXTRA: Triggers for el pretérito • When you see these words, usually it will be with el pretérito – Ayer – Anoche – El otro día – En ese momento – El…pasado – Hace… – En la mañana…
yesterday last night the other day at that moment last…(week, month, year) ago (one week ago…) today in the morning
