In Spanish, there are two main past tenses: the past simple (pretérito indefinido) and the imperfect past tense (pretérito imperfecto)

We often use both tenses simultaneously, using one for certain situations and the other for different contexts, which occurs consistently.

In the imperfect tense, regular verbs are formed by following this pattern:

Notice the difference between -ar verbs and -er / -ir verbs, which have the same endings.

Additionally, like in most tenses, there are irregular verbs that we must remember:

The imperfect does not have a direct equivalent in English, making it essential to understand how it works and when to use it. It basically describes a past action that is completed, without specifying its beginning or end. 

Here are the primary uses of the imperfect:

• To talk about habits and ongoing actions in the past during specific periods of life, such as “cuando era niño” (when I was a child), “antes” (before), “cuando era joven” (when I was young), etc.. In English, we use similar expressions when we say “used to” or “would”.

• To describe people, places and scenes in the past.

• To express actions in progress that occurred simultaneously.

• To talk about the time and age.

• To express an action in progress that was interrupted by another action in the past.

Past Simple or Imperfect?

Keep in mind that both the imperfect and the past tense are used to talk about events in the past. However, the main difference between these two is that the imperfect tense is used when the beginning and ending of the action are unspecified. Also, expressions such as “anoche” (last night), “ayer” (yesterday), “la semana pasada” (last week), “hace unos días” (some days ago), etc. show a completed action.

Notice the difference between these sentences, one in the past tense and the other in the imperfect:

Notice how in these cases, specific expressions serve as clues: “el domingo” (on Sunday) o “el verano pasado” (last summer) indicate a completed action. On the other hand, expressions such as “Cuando éramos niños” (When we were children) or “todos los fines de semana” (every weekend) imply a repeated action in the past, a routine.

Keep in mind that the imperfect tense focuses on:

• Habits

Exercises / Ejercicios

In this lesson, we examined the imperfect tense in Spanish, offering you an understanding of its use and its nuances. We explored how the imperfect tense is formed for regular and irregular verbs, emphasizing its role in describing ongoing or habitual actions in the past.

We also highlighted the contrast between the imperfect and preterite tenses, helping you grasp when to use each tense appropriately. For further practice, we recommend exploring additional lessons such as “Introduction to Spanish Conjugations” and “The Past Tense”.