Example of Verbs in the Past Imperfect
Spanish Classes / / July 04, 2021
The past imperfect es one of the simple verb tenses that is in the Spanish language. It is a simple tense since it is conjugated from a single verb form and does not require auxiliary verbs, as in the case of compound times.
Conjugation of the past imperfect
The past imperfect can be conjugated in two verb modes:
1. Past imperfect indicative mood (also called copreterite)
Verbs in indicative mood they involve actions that for the issuer are a fact or reality. This verb tense refers to a action or process what happens in a point of the past simultaneouslyto another action also in the past tense.
Conjugated verbs at this time can acquire two endings: -ba, -ia. The verbs of the first conjugation (-ar) acquire the ending -ba (love: loved; dream: dreamed; give: gave; need: needed) and the verbs of the second (-er) and third conjugation (-ir) acquire the ending -ia (have: had; hurt: hurt; serve: served; to quarrel: to quarrel).
Examples:
- "Joseph looked on television and heard a news story that made his blood run cold ”( looked is a verb in the past imperfect indicative: it is an action that occurs in the past simultaneously with the action of hear).
- “By collecting your diploma for academic excellence, kept head held high, with pride ”(kept is a past action simultaneous to the action of pick up).
2. Past imperfect in subjunctive mood.
Verbs in Subjunctive mode they involve actions that for the issuer are not a fact, but something that has not happened, something virtual, of course, that cannot be verified.
The conjugation of this verb tense has two forms that can be used interchangeably: -ara or -ase (play, play; pass, pass; take, take; asked, wondered), -it was or-that (out, out; had, had; move, move; see, see; eat, eat).
Examples:
- “He asked that they will call when they had news ”. (They will call expresses an action in the past that may or may not occur in the future)
- "I wish never will finish Summer holidays". (Will end it expresses an action that has not yet occurred but is virtually possible to occur ”.
- "Yes had the money, I would buy it ”(Had expresses a state that is a condition or possibility that has not been realized in the present).
- Continue reading: postpreterite verbs
30 Verbs in the past imperfect:
1. Finish:
IMPERFECT INDICATIVE PRETERIT |
IMPERFECT SUBJUNCTIVE PRETERIT |
||
Me |
finished |
Me |
will finish or finished |
Your |
you just |
Your |
you will finish or you finish |
He she |
finished |
He she |
will finish or finished |
Us, us |
we finished |
Us, us |
we would finish or let's finish |
you guys |
they ended |
you guys |
will finish or they finished |
You you |
you just |
You you |
you will finish or you would finish |
They, they |
they ended |
They, they |
will finish or they finished |
2. Go down:
IMPERFECT INDICATIVE PRETERIT |
IMPERFECT SUBJUNCTIVE PRETERIT |
||
Me |
went down |
Me |
go down to or get off |
Your |
you went down |
Your |
you will go down or you go down |
He she |
went down |
He she |
go down to or get off |
Us, us |
we lowered | Us, us |
we would go down or let's go down |
you guys |
they went down |
you guys |
they will go down or low |
You you |
you were going down |
You you |
you will go down or would go down |
They, they |
they went down |
They, they |
they will go down or low |
3. Tell:
IMPERFECT INDICATIVE PRETERIT |
IMPERFECT SUBJUNCTIVE PRETERIT |
||
Me |
counted |
Me |
will count or count |
Your |
you counted |
Your |
you will count or counts |
He she |
counted |
He she |
will count or count |
Us, us |
we counted |
Us, us |
count or let's count |
you guys |
they counted |
you guys |
will count or count |
You you |
you counted |
You you |
will tell or would count |
They, they |
they counted |
They, they |
will count or count |
4. To form:
IMPERFECT INDICATIVE PRETERIT |
IMPERFECT SUBJUNCTIVE PRETERIT |
||
Me |
formed |
Me |
will form or form |
Your |
you formed |
Your |
you will form or ways |
He she |
formed |
He she |
will form or form |
Us, us |
we formed |
Us, us |
we would form or we would form |
you guys |
they formed |
you guys |
will form or form |
You you |
you formed |
You you |
will form or would form |
They, they |
they formed |
They, they |
will form or form |
5. To turn:
IMPERFECT INDICATIVE PRETERIT |
IMPERFECT SUBJUNCTIVE PRETERIT |
||
Me |
turned |
Me |
will turn or turn around |
Your |
you turned |
Your |
you will turn or you turn |
He she |
turned |
He she |
will turn or turn around |
Us, us |
we turned |
Us, us |
we will turn or we rotate |
you guys |
they spun |
you guys |
will turn or rotate |
You you |
you spun |
You you |
will spin or twirl |
They, they |
they spun |
They, they |
will turn or rotate |
5 Examples of verbs of the second conjugation (-er) in the past imperfect:
6. Give:
IMPERFECT INDICATIVE PRETERIT |
IMPERFECT SUBJUNCTIVE PRETERIT |
||
Me |
gave way |
Me |
would give in or give in |
Your |
yielded |
Your |
you would give in or give in |
He she |
gave way |
He she |
would give in or give in |
Us, us |
we yielded |
Us, us |
we would give in or we would give in |
you guys |
they gave way |
you guys |
would yield or give way |
You you |
yielded |
You you |
Would yield or you would give in |
They, they |
they gave way |
They, they |
would yield or give way |
7. Should:
IMPERFECT INDICATIVE PRETERIT |
IMPERFECT SUBJUNCTIVE PRETERIT |
||
Me |
should |
Me |
should or should |
Your |
you should |
Your |
you should or you should |
He she |
should |
He she |
should or should |
Us, us |
we should |
Us, us |
we should or we should |
you guys |
they should |
you guys |
should or should |
You you |
you should |
You you |
you should or you should |
They, they |
they should |
They, they |
should or should |
8. Undertake:
IMPERFECT INDICATIVE PRETERIT |
IMPERFECT SUBJUNCTIVE PRETERIT |
||
Me |
undertook |
Me |
would undertake or undertake |
Your |
you undertook |
Your |
would undertake or would undertake |
He she |
undertook |
He she |
would undertake or undertake |
Us, us |
we undertook |
Us, us |
would undertake or we would undertake |
you guys |
they undertook |
you guys |
would undertake or would undertake |
You you |
you undertook |
You you |
would undertake or would undertake |
They, they |
they undertook |
They, they |
would undertake or would undertake |
9. Strengthen:
IMPERFECT INDICATIVE PRETERIT |
IMPERFECT SUBJUNCTIVE PRETERIT |
||
Me |
strengthened |
Me |
strengthen or strengthened |
Your |
you fortified |
Your |
would strengthen or fortified |
He she |
strengthened |
He she |
strengthen or strengthened |
Us, us |
we strengthened |
Us, us |
we would strengthen or we would strengthen |
you guys |
they strengthened |
you guys |
strengthen or strengthen |
You you |
you strengthened |
You you |
would strengthen or would strengthen |
They, they |
they strengthened |
They, they |
strengthen or strengthen |
10. Return:
IMPERFECT INDICATIVE PRETERIT |
IMPERFECT SUBJUNCTIVE PRETERIT |
||
Me |
I returned to |
Me |
come back or come back |
Your |
you came back |
Your |
you will come back or you would come back |
He she |
I returned to |
He she |
come back or come back |
Us, us |
we came back |
Us, us |
we would go back or let's go back |
you guys |
they came back |
you guys |
come back or come back |
You you |
you came back |
You you |
You would return or would come back |
They, they |
they came back |
They, they |
come back or come back |
5 Examples of verbs of the first conjugation (-ir) in the past imperfect:
11. To open:
IMPERFECT INDICATIVE PRETERIT |
IMPERFECT SUBJUNCTIVE PRETERIT |
||
Me |
opened |
Me |
open or open |
Your |
you opened |
Your |
would open or would open |
He she |
opened |
He she |
open or open |
Us, us |
we opened |
Us, us |
would open or let's open |
you guys |
they opened |
you guys |
would open or open |
You you |
you opened |
You you |
would open or would open |
They, they |
they opened |
They, they |
would open or open |
12. Turn into:
IMPERFECT INDICATIVE PRETERIT |
IMPERFECT SUBJUNCTIVE PRETERIT |
||
Me |
turned |
Me |
would turn or would convert |
Your |
you converted |
Your |
would convert or would convert |
He she |
turned |
He she |
would turn or would convert |
Us, us |
we converted |
Us, us |
would convert or we would convert |
you guys |
converted |
you guys |
would convert or would convert |
You you |
converted |
You you |
would convert or would convert |
They, they |
converted |
They, they |
would convert or would convert |
13. Say:
IMPERFECT INDICATIVE PRETERIT |
IMPERFECT SUBJUNCTIVE PRETERIT |
||
Me |
He said |
Me |
say or say |
Your |
you said |
Your |
say or sayings |
He she |
He said |
He she |
say or say |
Us, us |
we said |
Us, us |
say or let's say |
you guys |
they were saying |
you guys |
they will say or say |
You you |
you said |
You you |
say or say |
They, they |
they were saying |
They, they |
they will say or say |
14. Die:
IMPERFECT INDICATIVE PRETERIT |
IMPERFECT SUBJUNCTIVE PRETERIT |
||
Me |
died |
Me |
die or died |
Your |
you died |
Your |
you would die or you would die |
He she |
died |
He she |
die or died |
Us, us |
we died |
Us, us |
we would die or we die |
you guys |
they died |
you guys |
would die or die |
You you |
you died |
You you |
You would die or you would die |
They, they |
they died |
They, they |
would die or die |
15. To laugh:
IMPERFECT INDICATIVE PRETERIT |
IMPERFECT SUBJUNCTIVE PRETERIT |
||
Me |
laughed |
Me |
laugh or laugh |
Your |
you laughed |
Your |
you laugh or Rieses |
He she |
laughed |
He she |
laugh or laugh |
Us, us |
we laughed |
Us, us |
we would laugh or let's laugh |
you guys |
they laughed |
you guys |
they would laugh or laugh |
You you |
you laughed |
You you |
you would laugh or you would laugh |
They, they |
they laughed |
They, they |
they would laugh or laugh |
20 Sentences with verbs in the past imperfect:
- When was (past imperfect indicative) sick to the stomach, took (past imperfect indicative) several pills to feel better.
- He wouldn't take a break until finished (past imperfect subjunctive) most of the work.
- They asked the detective to was (past imperfect subjunctive) very careful while investigated (past imperfect indicative) the case.
- He saw (past imperfect indicative) so much that program that it ended up obsessing.
- If you you will exercise (past imperfect subjunctive) more often you would not have so much muscle discomfort.
- Thomas I had (past imperfect indicative) an idea to find the treasure, but not I knew (past imperfect indicative) if his friends would follow him.
- They still wouldn't celebrate until the news outside (past imperfect subjunctive) official.
- He made me very happy that would you come (past imperfect subjunctive) to see me at my house after so long without seeing each other.
- They passed (past imperfect indicative) the days and not we had (past imperfect indicative) news of the puppy that had escaped us.
- The nobles and knights asked him to was (past imperfect subjunctive) the king because the bravest and most capable of all.
- Yes had (past imperfect subjunctive) I choose a time to live, I would like to live in the Victorian era.
- Yes, you would be (past imperfect subjunctive) in charge there would not be so much lack of control.
- As soon as i know finished (past imperfect subjunctive) the alcohol would bring more so that the party did not end.
- Only one person helped (past imperfect indicative) to organize the entire fundraising event.
- We practiced (past imperfect indicative) our lines several hours a day until it was time to present the work to the public.
- The police warned him not would lie (past imperfect subjunctive) or get into more serious trouble.
- Yes fix (past imperfect subjunctive) My car from the two strokes it has, would be practically like new.
- Yes you will be (past imperfect subjunctive) more obedient your parents would not scold you so much.
- I am so glad that be (past imperfect subjunctive) my friend because you are a great person.
- The dust is accumulated (past imperfect indicative) on all the objects of the old mansion.
He may also interest you:
- Simple times
- Compound times
- Postpreterite verbs
- Copreterite
- Verbs in present
- Verbs in the past or past tense
- Verbs in the future
- Verbs in antepreterite
- Antefuture
- Anteposterite
- Before present