5 El imperfecto de los verbos regulares We

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El imperfecto de los verbos regulares We use the imperfect tense to talk about things like events or actions in the past that had no clear beginning and/or ending. Ex. I was doing my homework I used to cry at night I always annoyed my sister

Regular imperfect verbs -ar ending verbs -aba -ábamos -er/-ir ending verbs -íamos -abais -íais -aba -ían -aban

Imperfect Irregular Verbs era ser éramos erais eran Ex. Yo era pequeño

iba ir íbamos ibais iban Ex. Iba a escuela

veía ver veíamos veíais veían Ex. Veía la tele

Reasons to use the imperfect Uncertain beginning and/or end Habitual Indefinite expression Ugly Hippo In Deep Trouble Over Angry Evil Man Description/weather Time/Date Origin/nationality Age Emotion/Feeling Mental Process Past tense -ing form or an interrupted event or action

Reasons for using the imperfect Uncertain beginning and or ending to a past action or event. Past tense “ing” form or an interrupted past tense event or action. Ex. Lavaba los platos. Estaba picando la nariz, cuando saqué la foto. Habitual events or actions in the past occurred regularly or in expected order or pattern. Ex. Me cepillaba los dientes. Me bañaba por la noche. Indefinite expressions indicated the idea of infinity or beyond! Like the event or action always or never occurred using words like always and never. Ex. Siempre leía. Nunca bailaba.

Describing a physical or non physical state in the past tense is imperfect because its precise beginning or end cannot be determined or he/she/it could “still”. Weather is also imperfect in the past. Ex: Era muy gordo. Tenía hambre. Luvía. Hacía sol. Time is imperfect because it is an infinite process that never ends. The date is also imperfect in the past. Ex. Eran las seis. Era la una. Era el 2 de abril. Origin is what something is made of or where it originates from. Nationality, race and religion are also imperfect. Ex. Era de lana. Ella era latina.

Age is always imperfect. Like time, age never stops progressing forward. Your age in the past was a non permanent state, which has no “certain ending”. Ex. Tenía dos años, cuando aprendí montar en triciclo. Emotion is imperfect in that it is impossible to pin point the exact beginning and or ending of the feeling or emotional state. Ex. Tenía miedo, cuando me robaron. Mental processes in themselves are usually non removeable or difficult to determine start or finish. You could STILL! Ex. Sabía mucho, porque sacó muchas notas buenas en escuela secundaria.