The Best Time To Use Imperfect Spanish

Spanish Learners

One of the most common questions beginning Spanish learners have about the imperfect tense is, When should I use it?

To answer this question, you must first look at your goals as a learner. If you aim to sound like a native speaker, imperfect tenses will help you achieve that goal—even if you don’t know when to use them correctly.

But suppose your ultimate goal is to develop advanced language skills and learn grammar rules. In that case, you should avoid using the imperfect tense whenever possible and always be mindful of its intricacies and nuances.

Imperfect vs. Preterite

Spanish, like many languages, has both perfect and imperfect verbs. A verb’s tense determines whether it is a preterite or a defective verb.

Use the preterite tense for actions completed in the past, and use the perfect tense for activities that are completed.
For example, I went yesterday (preterite) vs. I have gone (excellent).

Spanish speakers often consider the preterite more casual than the perfect because it’s simpler to conjugate and has a shorter stem word (e.g., he went). However, this isn’t always true because you can use preterites in formal writing.

Preterite vs. imperfect Spanish: what is the difference?

The following scenarios are when to use imperfect Spanish in your informal conversations:

When talking about daily routines and habits

Imperfect Spanish is used daily, so Spanish speakers need to understand grammar lessons. For example, if someone asks you how you are doing, you would say, ” I am well, ” instead of ” Yo Estoy bien. If you need a refresher on Spanish tenses, visit our blog!

When describing a sudden change in events, feelings or weather.

For example, En ese momento, el sol brillaba. This means that at that moment, the sun shone. Spanish speakers would not say this in the past tense because it is an event that happened unexpectedly.

For a person who is continuously doing something

Imperfect Spanish refers to verb forms that are not preterite, used for mental actions, states, and descriptions.

In Italian, the term for imperfect Spanish is ‘Imperfetto,’ and in French, it’s ‘Imparfait.’ These terms can confuse because they refer to different tenses in those languages.

Use the imperfect to describe a continuous action or state that has lasted for some time and isn’t finished.

When you are giving your opinion about something/someone

When it comes to using Spanish, there are many things you can do wrong that will make your grammar sound terrible.

However, there is a way of speaking that will help you appear as if you are a native speaker.

The most common mistake is using the preterite instead of the imperfect tenses.

You have to pay attention to context, verb types, and time frames for what you say to make sense.

Use imperfect tenses when giving an opinion about something or someone (e.g., Juan es simpático).

As an exclamation, when you are trying to make things more natural

In English, the imperfect verb tense is used when the action or state of being is ongoing.

As a result, it can be difficult for English speakers to grasp and understand when they should use this form.

It’s much more effortless in Spanish because you have Imperfect Tenses that are just as long but are used differently than their English counterparts.

The most important thing to remember when using Imperfect Verb tenses in Spanish is that you should only use them for Habitual actions and describing a time rather than a single event in the past. For example, I was eating would translate into Yo estaba comiendo.

Mastering Spanish Preterite and Imperfect Tenses

During a specific period of time, understanding the Spanish preterite and its use in Spanish grammar becomes crucial for achieving fluency. The pretérito indefinido describes actions completed in the past, while the imperfect tense indicates actions in progress.
Mastering tense conjugation in Spanish involves recognizing these nuances, which can be quite different from English constructions. In English, you use simple past forms like “I went” for various contexts, but in Spanish, you must understand and apply the preterite tense correctly.

In my Spanish class, we focused on the Spanish imperfect tense, particularly for descriptions of people and settings. Our Spanish coach emphasized how the imperfect progressive can be used to describe ongoing past actions. We also learned about irregular conjugations, which often trip up new learners. To supplement our learning, we used Mango Languages, a resource that offers interactive lessons and downloadable resources. These tools were invaluable for practicing the nuances of the Spanish imperfect and its applications in various contexts.

Frequently Asked Questions