The Imperfect Tense:

Usos

Imperfect Tense: Describing a Situation

The imperfect tense is also used:To describe people, places, and

situations in the pastLa casa de mis abuelos era

enorme. Tenía cinco dormitorios.

Imperfect Tense: Describing a Situation

To talk about a past action or situation when no beginning or end is specified

Había mucha gente en la casa para el aniversario de mis abuelos.

Imperfect Tense: Describing a Situation

To describe the situation or background information when something else happened or interrupted the ongoing action.

Imperfect Tense: Describing a Situation

In these cases, the imperfect tense is used to tell what someone was doing when something happened (preterite.)

Imperfect Tense: Describing a Situation

Todos mis parientes bailaban cuando llegamos.

All my relatives were dancing when we arrived.

Imperfect Tense: Other UsesImperfect Tense: Other Uses

The imperfect tense may also be used:

To tell what time it was or what the weather was like when something happened.

Eran las cinco de la mañana y llovía mucho cuando el accidente occurió.

Imperfect Tense: Other UsesImperfect Tense: Other Uses

To describe the physical, mental, and emotional states of a person or thing when something happened.

Muchas personas querían ayudar a la familia, pero no sabían que hacer.

Imperfect Tense: Other UsesImperfect Tense: Other Uses

These verbs are often used in the imperfect to describe states of being:

Imperfect Tense: Other UsesImperfect Tense: Other Uses

Estar (triste, contento, cansado)Parecer (cansado, mal)PensarQuererSentirse (bien, enfermo)Tener (calor, frío, hambre, sed,

sueño)

Imperfect Tense: Other UsesImperfect Tense: Other Uses

Había and hubo are forms of haber and both mean “there was, there were.”

Había is used to describe a situation that existed in the past, while hubo is used to say that an event took place.

Imperfect Tense: Other UsesImperfect Tense: Other Uses

Había mucho humo en el apartamento.

Hubo un terremoto ayer a las seis de la mañana.