How one can Use the Imperfect Tense in Spanish

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One of many huge steps to changing into conversational in Spanish is getting a stable grip on a number of of the language’s many verb tenses, and the imperfect tense is a helpful one to know. Because it doesn’t have a direct equal in English, although, it may be a little bit tough for Spanish language learners to know. On this put up, we’ll break down when to make use of the imperfect and learn how to conjugate verbs in that tense.

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What’s the imperfect tense in Spanish?

Imperfect, or pretérito imperfecto, is a tense in Spanish used to speak about previous actions, situations, and occasions and not using a particular length. This consists of previous recurring actions and actions that weren’t completed prior to now.

The imperfect tense isn’t the one Spanish tense used to speak concerning the previous. There are a whopping 4 totally different previous tenses in Spanish! The opposite tenses are:

• Preterite: used to speak about actions that occurred at a selected time prior to now, in addition to accomplished actions that began and completed prior to now.
• Imperfect subjunctive: used to speak about emotions associated to previous occasions and hypothetical conditions.
• Previous good, or pluperfect, subjunctive: used to explain hypothetical conditions prior to now, conditional conditions prior to now, and previous actions that preceded different actions.

Of those three, the preterite tense is essentially the most generally used and is one other helpful tense for learners in Spanish to be taught.

How one can conjugate imperfect tense verbs in Spanish

Spanish verbs are categorized in line with their endings. There are -AR, -ER, and -IR verbs, they usually change types relying on the motion’s tense (in addition to who carried out it). Right here’s learn how to type the imperfect tense.

Common imperfect verbs

This chart exhibits you common verb endings within the imperfect tense. To conjugate an everyday verb utilizing this chart, take away the -AR, -ER, or -IR ending, then add the suitable ending from the chart primarily based on who’s performing the motion. Within the imperfect tense, -ER verbs and -IR verbs are conjugated the identical approach.

Irregular imperfect verbs

Irregular verbs are ones that don’t observe all the common conjugation guidelines. Within the imperfect tense there are solely three irregular verbs: 

• ser = to be
• ver = to see
• ir = to go

You’ll be able to see learn how to conjugate these irregular verbs on this chart:

>> Try this information to the highest 50 commonest irregular verbs in Spanish. 

When to make use of the imperfect tense in Spanish

With a number of previous tenses to tangle with, it may be straightforward for Spanish learners to be uncertain of when they need to use the imperfect tense. Let’s check out the 4 essential makes use of for the Spanish imperfect.

Describing actions that had been in progress prior to now

The imperfect tense is used for actions that occurred prior to now for an undefined period of time, like in these sentences:

• Después del trabajo me dolía la cabeza. = After work my head damage.
• Les gustaban las manzanas. = They used to love apples.

You may as well use the imperfect tense to speak about an motion that was in progress when one thing else interrupted it. This use of the imperfect tense may be difficult, as a result of whereas the motion that was in progress makes use of the imperfect tense, the interrupting motion makes use of the preterite tense.

• Comías cuando sonó la campana. = You had been consuming when the bell rang.
• La mujer leía cuando llamaron a la puerta. = The girl was studying when there was a knock on the door.

Describing recurring actions

Actions that had been repeated again and again prior to now use the imperfect tense. Listed below are some examples:

• Jugábamos béisbol todos los viernes por la noche. = We performed baseball each Friday night time.
• Los martes iba a clase de baile. = On Tuesdays I went to dance class.

Describing the previous

You need to use the imperfect tense to explain the previous, together with its traits and emotions individuals had, resembling:

• La habitación tenía papel tapiz verde. = The room had inexperienced wallpaper.
• Mi prima estaba triste y tenía lágrimas en los ojos. = My cousin was unhappy and had tears in her eyes.

Describing instances, dates, and ages prior to now

If you discuss how outdated somebody or one thing was, otherwise you state a previous date or time, you’ll use the imperfect tense. For example:

• Eran las dos de la mañana. = It was two o’clock within the morning.
• Tenías veintidós años cuando te conocí. = You had been 22 years outdated once I met you.

Good the imperfect tense with Rosetta Stone

Mastering the imperfect tense could also be a problem, however you’ll be able to be taught it shortly and confidently with Rosetta Stone. Rosetta Stone’s Dynamic Immersion technique will put together you for talking Spanish in on a regular basis life utilizing pictures and audio from native audio system. This versatile program suits into your life with bite-sized classes you can entry on-line, or obtain and take with you utilizing the Rosetta Stone app. 

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