Imperfect Indicative - ar verbs
More on Imperfect Indicative - Regular Verbs
The imperfect 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. Since the first and third person singular forms are identical, you must make certain the context makes the subject clear.
Endings for -ar verbs in the imperfect tense
| yo | aba | |
| tú | abas | |
| Ud./ él/ ella | aba | |
| nosotros | ábamos | |
| vosotros | abais | |
| Uds./ ellos/ ellas | aban |
Imperfect Forms of the verb hablar (to speak)
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) |
| tú | hablabas |
(you were speaking) |
| Ud./ él/ ella | hablaba |
(she was speaking) |
| nosotros | hablábamos |
(we were speaking) |
| vosotros | hablabais |
(you guys were speaking) |
| Uds./ ellos/ ellas | hablaban |
(they were speaking) |
Note: the imperfect tense has two distinct translations. The other translation of the verb hablar (to speak) is shown in the table below.
hablar (example sentences) (full conjugation)
| yo | hablaba |
(I used to speak) |
| tú | hablabas |
(you used to speak) |
| Ud./ él/ ella | hablaba |
(she used to speak) |
| nosotros | hablábamos |
(we used to speak) |
| vosotros | hablabais |
(you guys used to speak) |
| Uds./ ellos/ ellas | |
(they used to speak) |
Imperfect Forms of the verb pensar (to think)
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) |
Imperfect Forms of the verb trabajar (to work)
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) |
Footnote: Yo = I, Tú = You (casual), Él, Ella, Usted = He, She, You
(formal), Nosotros = We (males/mixed group), Nosotras = We (females), Ellos
= They (males/mixed group), Ellas = They(females), Ustedes = You (plural)
(formal), Nosotros = We (males/mixed group), Nosotras = We (females), Ellos
= They (males/mixed group), Ellas = They(females), Ustedes = You (plural)