THE IMPERFECT TENSE The Imperfect Tense Expresses action

THE IMPERFECT TENSE

The Imperfect Tense: • Expresses action that took place repeatedly or customarily in the past • Is often translated with the helping verb “was” or “were” • Has a special set of verb endings

The imperfect tense endings: • bamus • batis • bat • bant

Add the imperfect endings to an infinitive, minus the -re amare - re = ama + bam amabam=I used to love

Ancient Roman Gaul is modern day France.

imperfect of amare • amabamus • amabatis • amabat • amabant

imperfect of tenere • tenebamus • tenebatis • tenebat • tenebant

The Romans invented concrete and used it to make the first arches.

imperfect of dicere • dicebamus • dicebatis • dicebat • dicebant

The imperfect of fourth conjugation verbs and third “-io” verbs has an IE before the imperfect endings: Capiebam, faciebas, audiebat, veniebat, etc.

imperfect of salire • saliebamus • saliebatis • saliebat • saliebant

This aqueduct is in France. Built by the Romans, it uses arches for support.

The imperfect tense of esse and posse is irregular!

imperfect of esse • eramus • eratis • erat • erant

imperfect of posse • poteramus • poteratis • poterat • poterant

The imperfect of ire and its compounds have an “i” before the imperfect endings.

Imperfect of ire • ibamus • ibatis • ibat • ibant

Imperfect of exire • exibamus • exibatis • exibat • exibant

Gaul was added to the Roman Empire by Julius Caesar

FINIS