When do I use the imperfect tense?
The imperfect tense is used to refer to actions in the past that occurred repeatedly.
I used to walk every day.
Yo caminaba cada día.
The imperfect tense is also used to refer to actions in the past that occurred over an extended period of time.
I used to eat paella frequently.
Yo comía frecuentemente paella.
The imperfect tense is also used to “set the stage” for an event that occurred in the past.
We were coming home when we saw Juan.
Veníamos para casa cuando vimos a Juan.
Actions which are not physical, that is feelings and mental actions, usually use the imperfect tense.
Juan was feeling sick.
Juan estaba enfermo.
Key words to look for as clues to use the imperfect tense
The imperfect is frequently associated with phrases that describe the frequency of past actions.
a menudo- often
a veces- sometimes
cada día- every day
cada año- every year
con frecuencia- frequently
de vez en cuando- from time to time
en aquella época- all the time
frecuentemente- frequently
generalmente- usually
muchas veces- many times
mucho- a lot
nunca- never
por un rato- for a while
siempre- always
tantas veces- so many times
todas las semanas- every week
todos los días- every day
todo el tiempo- all the time
varias veces - Several times
