Mastering Spanish Imperfect Tense: Your Complete Guide to Nostalgia and Habits
Have you ever tried to tell a story in Spanish about your childhood, only to feel stuck because you didn't know which past tense to use? You want to describe the smell of your grandmother’s kitchen or how you used to play in the park every afternoon, but the words feel clunky. If you are struggling to differentiate between "I did" and "I was doing," you are not alone. Mastering the Spanish verbs imperfect tense (el pretérito imperfecto) is the secret to sounding natural and expressive.
While the preterite tense is for finished actions—like a camera flash—the imperfect tense is the background video of your life. It sets the scene, describes ongoing moods, and paints a picture of the past. In this guide, we will break down the grammar, the irregulars, and the specific triggers so you can stop second-guessing and start speaking fluently.
Why the Imperfect Tense is Your Best Friend in Spanish
In English, we often use "used to" or "would" to talk about the past. In Spanish, the imperfect tense handles all of that with simple endings. Whether you are writing a memoir or just chatting with friends, this tense allows you to:
Describe habitual actions: Things you did repeatedly.
Set the stage: Describing the weather, time, or location when a story begins.
Express age and emotions: How you felt or how old you were at a specific point.
Describe physical traits: What people or places looked like in the past.
Understanding this tense is essential for anyone aiming for fluency because it provides the context that the preterite simply cannot offer.
Conjugating Regular Verbs in the Imperfect
One of the best things about the imperfect tense is its consistency. Unlike the preterite, which is full of "shoe verbs" and irregular stems, the imperfect is remarkably stable. There are only two sets of endings to learn: one for -AR verbs and one for both -ER and -IR verbs.
1. -AR Verbs (The "Abba" Endings)
For verbs ending in -AR, like hablar (to speak) or caminar (to walk), you remove the -AR and add the following:
| Person | Ending | Example: Hablar |
| Yo | -aba | hablaba |
| Tú | -abas | hablabas |
| Él/Ella/Usted | -aba | hablaba |
| Nosotros | -ábamos | hablábamos |
| Vosotros | -abais | hablabais |
| Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes | -aban | hablaban |
Note: The nosotros form always carries an accent on the first 'a'. Also, notice that the yo and él/ella forms are identical, so you may need to use pronouns for clarity.
2. -ER and -IR Verbs (The "Ía" Endings)
For both -ER and -IR verbs, like comer (to eat) or vivir (to live), the endings are exactly the same. Every single ending in this category has an accent on the 'i'.
| Person | Ending | Example: Comer |
| Yo | -ía | comía |
| Tú | -ías | comías |
| Él/Ella/Usted | -ía | comía |
| Nosotros | -íamos | comíamos |
| Vosotros | -íais | comíais |
| Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes | -ían | comían |
The "Big Three" Irregulars
Here is the best news you'll hear all day: there are only three irregular verbs in the entire Spanish imperfect tense. That’s it! No hidden surprises or complex stem changes.
1. Ser (To be)
Used for descriptions, time, and identity in the past.
Yo era
Tú eras
Él/Ella era
Nosotros éramos
Vosotros erais
Ellos/Ellas eran
2. Ir (To go)
Used to say where you "used to go."
Yo iba
Tú ibas
Él/Ella iba
Nosotros íbamos
Vosotros ibais
Ellos/Ellas iban
3. Ver (To see)
Technically irregular because it keeps the 'e' from the infinitive.
Yo veía
Tú veías
Él/Ella veía
Nosotros veíamos
Vosotros veíais
Ellos/Ellas veían
When Exactly Should You Use the Imperfect?
Choosing between the preterite and the imperfect is often the biggest hurdle for Spanish learners. To make it easier, remember the acronym ALWEPT.
A - Age (Edad)
To say how old someone was, always use the imperfect.
Tenía diez años. (I was ten years old.)
L - Location (Ubicación)
Describing where things were located.
La biblioteca estaba cerca de mi casa. (The library was near my house.)
W - Weather (Clima)
Setting the atmospheric background.
Hacía mucho calor aquel verano. (It was very hot that summer.)
E - Emotions and Mental States (Emociones)
Describing how you felt, which usually doesn't have a clear start or end.
Estaba muy triste. (I was very sad.)
Querían viajar a España. (They wanted to travel to Spain.)
P - Physical Appearance (Apariencia)
Describing people, animals, or things.
Mi abuelo era alto y llevaba gafas. (My grandfather was tall and wore glasses.)
T - Time (Tiempo)
Telling time in the past.
Eran las tres de la tarde. (It was three in the afternoon.)
Habitual Actions: The "Used To" Rule
The most common use of the imperfect is for repeated actions. If you can translate a sentence using "used to" or "would" (in the sense of a past habit), you must use the imperfect.
Example: De niño, yo jugaba al fútbol todos los sábados. (As a child, I used to play soccer every Saturday.)
If you say jugué (preterite), it sounds like you played soccer once on a specific Saturday, and that's it. The imperfect implies a routine or a lifestyle.
Trigger Words to Look Out For
Certain Spanish phrases act as "magnets" for the imperfect tense. When you see these, your brain should immediately think of the imperfect:
Siempre (Always)
A menudo (Often)
Frecuentemente (Frequently)
Cada día / Todos los días (Every day)
Mientras (While)
Muchas veces (Many times)
De vez en cuando (From time to time)
Generalmente (Generally)
"Mientras" is a particularly important keyword. It is used to describe two actions happening simultaneously in the past.
Mientras yo cocinaba, mi hermano estudiaba. (While I was cooking, my brother was studying.)
Imperfect vs. Preterite: The "Interrupted Action"
One of the most effective ways to use these tenses together is the "Interruption Method." Imagine you are doing something (Imperfect - the background video) and then something sudden happens (Preterite - the interruption).
Yo dormía (Imperfect) cuando el teléfono sonó (Preterite).
(I was sleeping when the phone rang.)
The sleeping was an ongoing state, while the phone ringing was a specific, completed event that broke that state.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
1. Forgetting Accents
In the -ER/-IR category, every single conjugation has an accent on the 'i'. If you leave it off, it can change the meaning or the pronunciation entirely. In the -AR category, remember the accent only goes on the nosotros form (hablábamos).
2. Using Preterite for Age
English speakers often want to use the preterite for age because it feels like a specific number. However, in Spanish, age is seen as a "state of being" in the past, so tener must be in the imperfect (tenía).
3. Confusing "Was" and "Used To"
Sometimes learners get confused when translating "was." If you are saying "I was a student," use the imperfect (era). If you are saying "I was at the store (and then I left)," you might use the preterite (estuve). Generally, for descriptions of who you were, stick to the imperfect.
Practice Strategy: How to Internalize the Tense
To truly learn the Spanish verbs imperfect tense, you need to practice in context rather than just memorizing tables.
Write a Childhood Bio: Write five sentences about what you used to do when you were 8 years old. What was your favorite food? Where did you live? Who was your best friend?
Describe a Photo: Take an old family photo and describe everyone in it using the imperfect. Talk about their hair, their clothes, and how they were feeling.
The "While" Game: Think of two things you did yesterday at the same time and connect them with mientras.
Conclusion: Painting Your Past in Spanish
The imperfect tense is what gives your Spanish stories color and depth. It moves you beyond simply listing facts and allows you to describe experiences, feelings, and traditions. By mastering the simple endings for -AR, -ER, and -IR verbs and remembering the three tiny irregulars, you unlock a massive part of the Spanish language.
The more you use these forms, the more natural they will feel. Don't worry about being perfect right away—focus on the "habitual" nature of the tense and let your stories flow.