100 Examples of the Imperfect Past (Indicative)

The past imperfect of indicative mood it's a verbal tense which is used to refer to actions, processes or states of the past that are conceived in their duration and that are not located at a specific moment. For example:The She believed in everything that He said your sensei

The imperfect of the indicative or copreterite it differs from the past perfect simple, because in a narrative it is used to refer to the context and circumstances. On the other hand the past perfect simple is used to designate the main actions. For example: When They were (imperfect past tense)in the park, they met (simple past tense) with their best friends.

• Follow with: Preterite, copreterite, postpreterite and antepreterite

Uses of the imperfect past

The imperfect indicative is used to:

• Express actions from the past without specifying when they began or when they ended. For example: The listened jazz records.
• Express frequent actions, habits, routines and customs of the past. For example:Jimena I was going to the gym every day.
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• Express descriptions and qualities of elements of the past. For example: The beach it was Beautifull.
• Indicate simultaneity between two past actions. For example: While she played the guitar, he sang.
• Express that an action that was taking place was interrupted by another, which is in the simple past tense. For example: When studied (imperfect past tense), the bell rang (simple past tense).
• Express courtesy. For example:He wanted ask him for a glass of water.
• Express future actions in the past. For example: He believed that dinner it was morning.

Conjugation of the imperfect past tense

Except be, go and see, all verbs are regular in the imperfect indicative.

To take into account: The verbs of the second (-er) and from the third (-ir) conjugation have the same ending in the preterite imperfect of the indicative. For example: comwent, hewent, I livedwent, decwent.

Examples of verbs in the imperfect past tense

Examples of sentences with verbs in the imperfect past tense

1. She looked a different movie every day.
2. At that time, people read much.
3. You guys they cooked homemade bread every day?
4. Centuries ago people She believed than the sun turned around the Earth.
5. He needed a cup of coffee.
6. The Carpenter she used to do three pieces of furniture per week.
7. You you lived in that town?
8. Us we were going to the cabin on the mountain every summer.
9. While Sofia rehearsed for the work, Daniela she wrote a script for a movie.
10. when he saw a series, the power went out.
11. She thought that the exam it was today.
12. Us we studied English at that institute.
13. You do not you were according to the contract?
14. At the beginning of the 20th century, not existed the airplanes.
15. In this area, before it was raining more than now.
16. In the park there was trees of all kinds.
17. joseph before worked in a multinational company, he is now a mountain guide.
18. Snowflakes they fell very slowly.
19. Sun shone so much not left see the horizon
20. When ruled the king, the people could elect their representatives by vote.
21. Cecilia had breakfast fruits with cereals every day.
22. before the bus passed down this street.
23. At that time, the packets they took more to come.
24. You guys they knew what, today there was math exam?
25. Barely entered in her house, her dogs greeted.
26. These products they cost except last year.
27. Before John rented, but she recently bought a house.
28. my grandmother always weaved scarves.
29. The Ducks they swam in the forest lake.
30. Before the people used the telephone line to communicate.

see also:

• imperfect past tense (subjunctive mood)
• Pluperfect past tense (indicative mood)
• past tense (indicative mood)
• Present perfect compound (indicative mood)
• Pluperfect past tense (subjunctive mood)
• Past tense

References

• Gomez-Torrego, L. (2005). Didactic grammar of Spanish. SM editions.
• Spanish lingolia. (s.f.). The imperfect indicative. https://espanol.lingolia.com/es/gramatica/tiempos/preterito-imperfecto
• Royal Spanish Academy & Association of Academies of the Spanish Language. (2010). New grammar of the Spanish language. Manual. Spare.