The imperfect indicative 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. Let's see the different expressions below:

*to express a habit, a customary action

Ellas caminaban dos veces al día.
They used to walk two times a day.

*to express an ongoing action in the past with no reference to its beginning or ending

Se sentía atraído por aquel personaje desde hacía tiempo.
He had been attracted by that character for a long time.

*descriptions of people or circumstances in the past

Mi hijo era muy rebelde.
My son was very rebellious.

Había muchos problemas con la casa.
There were many problems with the house.

*past descriptions including background information surrounding the action

Esta es la ciudad por la cual pasábamos cuando nos conocimos.
This is the city we were passing by when we met.

*to express a state of mind (verbs like: creer, pensar, querer, saber, etc.)

Yo creía que Juan había estudiado la lección.
I thought Juan had studied the lesson.

*age or time in the past

Me bautizaron en la Iglesia Católica cuando sólo tenía dos meses.
I was baptized in the Catholic church when I was only two months old.

¿Qué horas eran cuando salieron de clase?
What time was it when they left the class?

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