Imperfect Indicative - Imperfecto de Indicativo (Pretérito Imperfecto)

One of the two simple past tenses in Spanish is the imperfect. The Imperfect Past tense is used to describe actions or situations that were incomplete or in progress at the point of time in the past that is being described. It is also used for ongoing conditions and repeated occurrences in the past.

The imperfect is the easiest, most regular tense in Spanish. You will notice below that -er and -ir verbs have the same endings (all with accents). The formation of the imperfect for the regular verb hablar (to speak) is shown in the table below.

hablar (example sentences) (full conjugation)

			

				
yo
				
hablaba
				
(I was speaking)
				
I used to speak
			
			

				
tú
				
hablabas
				
(you were speaking)
				
you used to speak
			
			

				
Ud./ él/ ella
				
hablaba
				
(she was speaking)
				
she used to speak
			
			

				
nosotros
				
hablábamos
				
(we were speaking)
				
we used to speak
			
			

				
vosotros
				
hablabais
				
(you guys were speaking)
				
you guys used to speak
			
			

				
Uds./ ellos/ ellas
				
hablaban
				
(they were speaking)
				
they used to speak
			
		

Note:
m = male f = female mix = mixed group
yo = I, tú = you (informal)
usted (Ud.) = you (formal)
él = he, ella = she
nosotros = we (m/mix), nosotras = we (f)
vosotros = you guys (informal, m/mix)
vosotras = you guys (informal, f)
ellos = they (m/mix), ellas = they (f)
ustedes (Uds.) = you all (formal)

-ar verbs in the imperfect tense

   
yo
   
-aba


   
tú
   
-abas


   
Ud./él/ella
   
-aba


   
nosotros (as)
   
-ábamos


   
vosotros (as)
   
-abais


   
Uds./ellos/ellas
   
-aban

pensar (example sentences) (full conjugation)

   
yo
   
pensaba
   
(I thought)


   
tú
   
pensabas
   
(you thought)


   
Ud./él/ella
   
pensaba
   
(you/he/she thought)


   
nosotros as
   
pensábamos
   
(we thought)


   
vosotros as
   
pensabais
   
(you guys thought)


   
Uds./ellos/ ellas
   
pensaban
   
(you all/they thought)

trabajar (example sentences)(full conjugation)

   
yo
   
trabajaba
   
(I worked)


   
tú
   
trabajabas
   
(you worked)


   
Ud./él/ella
   
trabajaba
   
(you/he/she worked)


   
nosotros as
   
trabajábamos
   
(we worked)


   
vosotros as
   
trabajabais
   
(you guys worked)


   
Uds./ellos/ ellas
   
trabajaban
   
(you all/they worked)

imperfect tense for verbs ending in -er and -ir

   
yo
   
-ía


   
tú
   
-ías


   
Ud./él/ella
   
-ía


   
nosotros as
   
-íamos


   
vosotros as
   
-íais


   
Uds./ellos/ellas
   
-ían
 

vivir (example sentences) (full conjugation)

   
yo
   
vivía
   
(I lived)


   
tú
   
vivías
   
(you lived)


   
Ud./él/ella
   
vivía
   
(you/he/she lived)


   
nosotros as
   
vivíamos
   
(we lived)


   
vosotros as
   
vivíais
   
(you guys lived)


   
Uds./ellos/ ellas
   
vivían
   
(you all/they lived)
   

sentir (example sentences)(full conjugation)

   
yo
   
sentía
   
(I felt)


   
tú
   
sentías
   
(you felt)


   
Ud./él/ella
   
sentía
   
(you/he/she felt)


   
nosotros as
   
sentíamos
   
(we felt)


   
vosotros as
   
sentíais
   
(you guys felt)


   
Uds./ellos/ ellas
   
sentían
   
(you all/they felt)

perder (example sentences)(full conjugation)

   
yo
   
perdía
   
(I lost)


   
tú
   
perdías
   
(you lost)


   
Ud./él/ella
   
perdía
   
(you/he/she lost)


   
nosotros as
   
perdíamos
   
(we lost)


   
vosotros as
   
perdíais
   
(you guys lost)


   
Uds./ellos/ ellas
   
perdían
   
(you all/they lost)

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