1. Imperfect Tense

2. AR verbs • ABA ÁBAMOS • ABAS ABAIS • ABA ABAN CANTAR: TO SING cantabacantábamos cantabascantabais cantabacantaban

3. ER/IR verbs • ÍA ÍAMOS • ÍAS ÍAIS • ÍA ÍAN • COMER: TO EAT VIVIR: TO LIVE • comíacomíamosvivíavivíamos • comíascomíaisvivíasvivíais • comíacomíanvivíavivían

4. IRREGULAR VERBS • VER: TO SEE IR: TO G0 • VEÍA VEÍAMOS IBA ÍBAMOS • VEÍAS VEÍAIS IBAS IBAIS • VEÍA VEÍAN IBA IBAN • SER : TO BE • ERA ÉRAMOS • ERAS ERAIS • ERA ERAN

5. TRANSLATIONS OF THE IMPERFECT • Carlos trabajaba en la tienda. • Carlos worked in the store. • Carlos used to work in the store. • Carlos was working in the store. Yovivía en Nueva York. I lived in NY. I used to live in NY. I was living in NY.

6. 1. Uses of the imperfect • Used to describe repeated , habitual or continuous actions in the past with no reference to the beginning or ending of the action. • Susana leía el periódico todos los días. (repeated action) • Comíamos en un restaurante cerca del centro comercial. (we used to eat-when? No specific time mentioned.)

7. 2. Uses of the imperfect • Used to describe an action already in progress when something else interrupted it. • Yomiraba la telecuando Juan llegó a casa. • I was watching (already in progress…)when Juan got home. (this only happened once-preterit) • Ella cocinabacuando Jorge la llamó. She was cooking (already) when George called her. (that happened only once)

8. 3. Uses of the imperfect • Used to describe characteristics or states of being (health/emotions etc) in the past when no beginning or ending is implied. • Mi abuela era muy activa. • Tenía mucha hambre. • Mis padres estaban muy contentos en la Florida. • Mi esposo era alto.

9. Remember: • **Two actions could have been taking place at the same time: Mientrasyomiraba la tele mi hermanaleíasulibro. (Both verbs imperfect.) • **An action could have happened only once and interrupted the other. • Elloshablaban (i)cuandoempezó (p)la clase. • ** Two actions can both have happened only once. • Yomelevanté and contesté el teléfono.