Imperfecto de Indicativo (Imperfect Indicative Tense)

The imperfecto de indicativo is used to describe ongoing, habitual, or repeated actions in the past, as well as background information. Unlike the preterite, it doesn’t indicate when an action started or ended, focusing instead on the continuity or repetition of the action.

Mood:

The indicative mood expresses certainty and reality. The imperfect tense is used for actions that were habitual or ongoing in the past without a specific endpoint. This contrasts with the preterite, which describes completed actions.

• Indicative mood = certainty, facts, reality
• Imperfect tense = ongoing or habitual actions in the past

Usage:

• To describe habitual or repeated actions in the past: Cuando era niño, jugaba al fútbol. (When I was a child, I used to play soccer.)
• To describe ongoing actions: Estaba leyendo cuando sonó el teléfono. (I was reading when the phone rang.)
• To describe physical or emotional states in the past: Estaba cansado. (I was tired.)
• To provide background information: El clima estaba frío. (The weather was cold.)

Regular Conjugation (Indicative):

Person	AR Verbs	ER Verbs	IR Verbs
Yo	hablaba	comía	vivía
Tú	hablabas	comías	vivías
Él/Ella/Usted	hablaba	comía	vivía
Nosotros	hablábamos	comíamos	vivíamos
Vosotros	hablabais	comíais	vivíais
Ellos/Ustedes	hablaban	comían	vivían

Irregular Verbs:

There are only a few irregular verbs in the imperfect indicative tense:

• Ser (to be): era, eras, era, éramos, erais, eran
• Ir (to go): iba, ibas, iba, íbamos, ibais, iban
• Ver (to see): veía, veías, veía, veíamos, veíais, veían

Stem-Changing Verbs:

In the imperfect tense, there are no stem changes for verbs. The conjugation remains regular for all forms.

Common Time Expressions:

• Siempre (always)
• A menudo (often)
• Cada día (every day)
• Cuando era niño/a (when I was a child)
• Mientras (while)

Examples:

• De niño, yo jugaba en el parque todos los días. (As a child, I used to play in the park every day.)
• Ella siempre comía pizza los viernes. (She always ate pizza on Fridays.)
• Estábamos viendo una película cuando empezó a llover. (We were watching a movie when it started to rain.)