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EL IMPERFECTO – THE IMPERFECT. Prof. A. Cronk. EL IMPERFECTO – THE IMPERFECT. The Imperfect is often called the Descriptive Past Tense because we "set scenes" using the Imperfect Tense. The Imperfect handles three different Past tense constructions in English:
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EL IMPERFECTO – THE IMPERFECT Prof. A. Cronk
EL IMPERFECTO – THE IMPERFECT • The Imperfect is often called the Descriptive Past Tense because we "set scenes" using the Imperfect Tense. The Imperfect handles three different Past tense constructions in English: • I studied at Arizona State University. (we don't know if I finished or not.) • I used to study at ASU. • I was studying at ASU.
EL IMPERFECTO – THE IMPERFECT • It is important to note that we use the Imperfect to indicate we "were doing" something. In other words, we use the Imperfect to say: • I was studying last night, while Susana was watching television • Yo estudiaba anoche mientras que Susana miraba la televisión.
USES OF IMPERFECT TENSE • The imperfect is used for actions that "set the stage" for another action. • The imperfect is used for telling time and stating one's age. • The imperfect is used for actions that were repeated habitually
Forms of the imperfect:Regular verbs • Forms of the imperfect, regular verbs. Stem: Take the infinitive, and remove the last two letters (the infinitive ending): • Hablar > habl-; comer > com-; vivir > viv-. • Endings: -ar verbs: -aba, -abas, -aba, -ábamos, -abais, -aban. -er and -ir verbs: -ía, -ías, -ía, -íamos, -íais, -ían.
ser ver ir eraeraseraéramoseraiseran veíaveíasveíaveíamosveíaisveían ibaibasibaíbamosibaisiban Imperfect:Irregular verbs • There are only three verbs that are irregular in the Imperfect: Ser, Ir, and Ver!