Verb Notebook

1. Verb Notebook Advanced Spanish

2. Verbs tocar Aprender Tener Querer comenzar dormir poder poner Salir hacer traer Venir Saber conocer lavarse acostarse divertirse andar decir pedir • seguir • oír • Hablar • Comer • Vivir • Ser • Estar • Ir • Dar • Ver • leer • Pagar

3. Imperfect Past Tense Verbs Explanation and conjugations

4. Imperfect Tense Notes 3. Imperfect tense How to form regular verbs: 1: drop the infinitive ending (-ar, -er, -ir) 2: add the appropriate Imperfect tense endings to match the subject. -ar verb endings -er /-ir endings ía íamos aba ábamos ías íais abas abais ía ían aba aban Note: There are only 3 irregular verbs: Ver, ser, and Ir Ver - Veía, veías, veía, veíamos, veíais, veían Ser – era, eras, era, éramos, erais, eran Ir – iba, ibas, iba, íbamos, ibais, iban

5. Continuation of notes When to use it • In general, The Imperfect tense is used for used for actions in the past that are not seen as completed. It implies that the past action did not have a definite beginning or a definite end. • Translate the Imperfect tense as was/were ...ing, used to ...,would (meaning used to) …

6. Continuation of notes • The imperfect is used for actions that were repeated habitually. • Almorzábamos juntos todos los días.We would lunch together every day. • Las señoras siempre charlaban por las mañanas.The ladies would always chat in the mornings.

7. Continuation of notes • The imperfect is used for actions that "set the stage" for another action. • Yo leía cuando entró mi papá.I was reading when my papa entered. (note that "entered" is preterite) • The imperfect is used for telling time, describing weather, and stating one's age. • Eran las siete de la noche.It was seven o'clock at night. • La niña tenía cinco años.The little girl was five years old.

8. Continuation of notes • One does not normally think of a general mental state or physical sensations as having a definite beginning or end, and so they are usually expressed in the imperfect. • Ramón tenía miedo de hablar en público.Ramón was afraid to speak in public. • Yo creía que Juan podía hacerlo.I thought that Juan could do it. • Me gustaba el coche.I liked the car. (The car was pleasing to me.)

9. Continuation of notes • The imperfect is used to describe how things were or what things were like. Use the imperfect when describing the characteristics of people, things or conditions. • Era un muchacho muy inteligente.He was a very intelligent boy. • Era una señorita muy guapa.She was a beautiful young lady. • Las ventanas estaban abiertas.The windows were open. • La casa era blanca.The house was white.

10. Continuation of notes Preterite vs. Imperfect • Some verbs actually change meaning, depending upon whether they are used in the preterite or the imperfect. Pret. Imperfect • Conocer metUsed to know/knew • Querer tried wanted • no querer refused did not want • Saber found out Used to know, knew • Poder succeeded in was able to • Tener received used to have

11. Continuation of notes • Spanish has two past tenses: preterite and imperfect. Most verbs can be put into either tense, depending upon the meaning. • Some words and phrases indicate specific time frames, and therefore signal the use of the preterite. • Other words and phrases indicate repetitive, vague or non-specific time frames, and therefore signal the use of the imperfect.

12. Continuation of notes Expressions that signal use of imperfect a menudo (often)generalmente (usually)a veces (sometimes)muchas veces (many times)cada día (every day)siempre (always)cada año (every year)todo el tiempo (all the time)de vez en cuando (from time to time)varias veces (several times) Expressions that signal use of preterite Ayer (yesterday)la semana pasada (last week)anoche (last night)el mes pasado (last month)el otro día (the other day)el año pasado (last year)entonces (then)hace dos días, años (two days, years ago)esta mañana(this morning)ayer por la mañana (yesterday morning)

13. Continuation of notes Compare the following sentences. COMPLETED ACTION (Preterite) Ellos fueron al cine el sábado pasado. They went to the movies last Saturday. Ayerse sentaron en la última fila. Yesterdaythey sat in the last row. Anochese acostaron temprano. Last night they went to bed early. REPEATED, HABITUAL ACTION (imperfect) Ellos iban al cine todos los sábados. They went (used to go) to the movies every Saturday. Siempre se sentaban en la primera fila. They always sat (would sit) in the first row. Todas las noches se acostaban tarde. Every night they went (would go) to bed late.

14. Continuation of notes Two actions in one sentence Narrating a sequence of events • Often a sentence may have two or more verbs in the past. The verbs may be in the same tense or in different tenses. In the sentence below, both verbs are in the preterite. Both describe simple actions that began and ended at a specific time in the past. Laura llegó ayer y Pepe la vio. Laura arrived yesterday and Pepe saw her. 2. In the sentence below, the two verbs are in the imperfect because they both describe habitual or continuous actions. The moment when the actions began or ended is unimportant. Durante los inviernos, Adela iba a las montañas a esquiar, pero yo trabajaba. During the winters, Adela went(would go) to the mountains to ski, but I would work. 3. In the sentence below, the verb estudiaba is in the imperfect; it describes the background—what was going on. The verb in the preterite, entró, expresses the action or event that interrupted the ongoing action. Yo estudiaba cuando Julia entró. I was studing when Julia entered.

15. Adapted for Unit 3 (Buen Viaje) • By Beth Ranucci