Imperfect is the other form of the past tense, and it expresses habitual or ongoing past actions, provides descriptions, or describes conditions.

When using the preterit tense, you were expressing certain ideas and notions that happened in the past at one point in time.

-ar (hablar)

yo: hablaba

tú: hablabas

él, ella, Ud: hablaba

nosotros: hablábamos

ellos/as, Uds: hablaban

-er (comer)

yo: comía

tú: comías

él, ella, Ud: comía

nosotros: comíamos

ellos/as, Uds: comían

-ir (vivir)

yo: vivía

tú: vivías

él, ella, Ud: vivía

nosotros: vivíamos

ellos/as, Uds: vivían

ir: to go

ser: to be

ver: to see

ir: to go

yo: iba

tú: ibas

él, ella, Ud: iba

nosotros: íbamos

ellos/as, Uds: iban

ser: to be

yo: era

tú: eras

él, ella, Ud: era

nosotros: éramos

ellos/as, Uds: eran

ver: to see

yo: veía

tú: veías

él, ella, Ud: veía

nosotros: veíamos

ellos/as, Uds: veían

Express was or were + -ing. Say this in Spanish:

Were you sleeping?

¿Dormías?

(If starting on this side, say this in English)

Express was or were + -ing. Say this in Spanish:

I was showering when Juan called.

Me duchaba cuando Juan llamó.

(If starting on this side, say this in English)

Express was or were + -ing. Say this in Spanish:

Alberto was reading while Alicia was listening to music.

Alberto leía mientras Alicia escuchaba música.

(If starting on this side, say this in English)

Telling time in the past. Say this in Spanish:

It was 1:00 and I was still studying.

Era la una y yo todavía estudiaba.

(If starting on this side, say this in English)

Telling time in the past. Say this in Spanish:

It was 7:30 and the children were falling asleep.

Eran las siete y media y los niños se dormían.

(If starting on this side, say this in English)

Describe habitual or often repeated actions. Say this in Spanish:

We went (used to go) to the movies every Friday. We had a lot of fun.

Íbamos al cine todos los viernes. Nos divertíamos mucho.

(If starting on this side, say this in English)

Describe habitual or often repeated actions. Say this in Spanish:

When he was little Lebron played (used to play) basketball for at least two hours a day.

Cuando era pequeño, Lebron jugaba al básquetbol por lo menos dos horas al día.

(If starting on this side, say this in English)

Describe habitual or often repeated actions. Say this in Spanish:

My parents always got up (used to get up) at 6:00am.

Mis padres siempre se levantaban a las seis de la mañana.

(If starting on this side, say this in English)

Provide background information, set the stage, or express a condition that existed. Say this in Spanish:

It was raining a lot.

Llovía mucho.

(If starting on this side, say this in English)

Provide background information, set the stage, or express a condition that existed. Say this in Spanish:

It was a dark and cloudy night.

Era una noche oscura y nublada.

(If starting on this side, say this in English)

Provide background information, set the stage, or express a condition that existed. Say this in Spanish:

We were in our second year of college.

Estábamos en el segundo año de la universidad.

(If starting on this side, say this in English)

Provide background information, set the stage, or express a condition that existed. Say this in Spanish:

Adriana was ill and didn't want to get up/get out of bed.

Adriana estaba enferma y no quería levantarse.

(If starting on this side, say this in English)