El Imperfecto: Irregular Verbs

El Imperfecto: Irregular Verbs

We saw the regular forms of the imperfecto this week, but now it is time to introduce the irregular forms.

First to review: 

In general, the IMPERFECTO is used to describe actions that are seen as incomplete or continuing. 

They are not finished or completed, "over and done." For those cases, we would use the Preterito.

Uses of the Imperfecto

• habitual or repeated actions

• events or actions that were in progress

• physical characteristics

• mental or emotional states

• telling time

• age

The imperfect of irregular verbs

IR  SER and VER are the only verbs that are irregular in the imperfect ( Yesss! Only 3!)

Los verbos irregulares en el imperfecto

Once you know the YO form, the others all follow suit as in the regular forms:

IR                     Yo iba
SER                  Yo era  
VER                  Yo veia
(memorize these Yo forms to help yourself!)

Here are some examples of IR

• Tu amigo iba

• Ellos iban

• Usted iba

• Nosotros ibamos

• Yo iba

• Tu ibas

• Las clases iban

Some examples of SER:

• Tu eras

• Las chicas eran

• Usted era

• Miguel era

• Nosotros eramos

• Tus amigos eran

• El equipo era
  

Some examples of VER:

• Eduardo veia

• Miguel y Carlos veian

• Tu veias

• Nosotros veiamos

• Usted veia

• Vosotros veiais

• Los chicos veian

Multiple Select

Mark the correct one:

• Elena cantia (cantar)

• Yo conducias (conducir)

• Tu bebabas (beber)

• Ellas cocinaban( cocinar)

Multiple Select

Which is correct?

• (SER) Era la una cuando llegamos.

• (VER) Usted no veian mucho.

• (IR) Mis amigos iba

• (SER) Yo eran

Multiple Choice

Ella ______ muy baja de joven.

• veia

• iba

• era

Multiple Choice

Mi familia ______ en Madrid.

• vivian

• vivias

• viviamos

• vivia

Multiple Choice

Why are we using Imperfecto here:

Ellos iban a la playa cada verano.

• age

• mental/emotional state

• habitual/repeated actions

• events that were in progress

Multiple Select

Why imperfecto?:

Mi madre cocinaba mientras ellos hacian las tareas.

• physical characteristics

• events or actions that were in progress

• Telling time

• Habitual actions

Multiple Select

Why imperfecto?:

Yo estaba muy triste.

• physical characteristics

• age

• telling time

• mental/emotional state

Multiple Select

Why Imperfecto?:

Eran las tres cuando ellos llegaron.

• habitual/repeated action

• time

• physical characteristics

• events that were in progress

Multiple Select

Why imperfecto?:

Los chicos iban al centro comercial cada fin de semana.

• age

• physical characteristics

• events or actions that were in progress

• habitual/repeated action

Multiple Select

Why imperfecto?:

Eduardo y Marco veian Netflix por las tardes.

• habitual/repeated action

• physical characteristics

• events that were in progress

• telling time