Imperfect Indicative - er and ir verbs  


More on Imperfect Indicative - Regular Verbs

Quick explanation:
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.

Note: both -er and -ir verbs have the same endings.

Endings for -er and -ir verbs in the imperfect tense
yo ía
tú ías
Ud./ él/ ella ía
nosotros íamos
vosotros íais
Uds./ ellos/ ellas ían
Imperfect Forms of the verb vivir (to live)

The formation of the imperfect for the regular verb vivir (to live) is shown in the table below.

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)
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)



Popular Phrase: que durante