The Spanish imperfect tense is your key to describing actions that were ongoing or habitual in the past. Regular -ER verbs, with their consistent conjugation pattern, are another important piece in mastering this tense. Let’s dive in!
The Simple Conjugation Pattern
Conjugating regular -ER verbs in the imperfect tense is straightforward. Just follow these two easy steps:
- Drop the -er: Remove the -er ending from the infinitive form of the verb (e.g., comer becomes com).
- Add the imperfect ending: Attach the appropriate ending based on the subject pronoun:
| Subject Pronoun | Ending | Example: comer (to eat) |
|---|---|---|
| Yo | -ía | Yo comía |
| Tú | -ías | Tú comías |
| Él/ella/usted | -ía | Él/ella/usted comía |
| Nosotros/nosotras | -íamos | Nosotros/nosotras comíamos |
| Ellos/ellas/ustedes | -ían | Ellos/ellas/ustedes comían |
Pro Tip: Notice that all forms have an accent mark on the ‘í’.
Common -ER Verbs You’ll Encounter
To get you started, here are some of the most common -ER verbs you’ll use in the imperfect tense:
- comer (to eat)
- beber (to drink)
- leer (to read)
- correr (to run)
- aprender (to learn)
- vender (to sell)
- creer (to believe)
- temer (to fear)
- comprender (to understand)
- responder (to answer)
Examples in Action
Now that you know the pattern and some common verbs, let’s see them in action:
- “Yo comía pasta todos los días cuando vivía en Italia.” (I used to eat pasta every day when I lived in Italy.)
- “Ellos leían el periódico cada mañana antes de ir al trabajo.” (They used to read the newspaper every morning before going to work.)
- “Nosotros corríamos en el parque los fines de semana.” (We used to run in the park on weekends.)
- “¿Tú vendías artesanías en el mercado?” (Did you use to sell handicrafts at the market?)
- “Los estudiantes aprendían español mientras veían telenovelas.” (The students were learning Spanish while watching soap operas.)
Remember, the imperfect tense is all about describing ongoing or habitual actions in the past. With regular -ER verbs, you’re one step closer to mastering this essential Spanish tense!
Synonyms:
- English: Reguar -er verbs in Past Continuous, Imperfect Progressive, Imperfect Continuous
- Spanish: Verbos Regulares en -ER en Pretérito Imperfecto, Copretérito, Imperfecto de Indicativo, Pretérito Progresivo, Pasado Progresivo, Pretérito Continuo