Question

Elige la respuesta correcta. ¿Cuándo se usa el imperfecto?

Answer 1

1. Right answer:

c) para describir acciones habituales del pasado

In general, the imperfect is used when talking about past actions, conditions, or events that occurred regularly or frequently or that were in progress in a moment in the past. It is also used to tell time, talk about dates, give a person's age, and describe features, conditions, and feelings in the past.

2. Right answer:

d) estar

In the imperfect tense, there are only three verbs with irregular conjugations, namely: ir, ser, and ver. This is shown in thr Table below. Therefore, the verb estar is regular in this tense. We use the verb estar to indicate temporary states and locations. In this way, this verb stands for position, location, action, condition, and emotion.

3. Right answer:

era/nadaba

Era is the conjugation of the verb ser that matches the first person singular in the imperfect. On the other hand, nadaba is the conjugation of the verb nadar that matches this person as well. Since this was my hobby when I was a child, the verb ser is being used here as cccupation. Basically, it's what someone does or did for a living or as a hobby. Finally:

Cuando era niña, siempre nadaba en la piscina durante el verano.

4. Right answer:

íbamos

From the Table below, we know that the correct conjugation of the verb ir that matches the first person plural in the imperfect is íbamos

. So we used to go to the mountains every winter. On the other hand, the word montañas is a feminine plural noun. Finally, we can write this sentence as follows:

Nosotros íbamos a las montañas cada invierno.

5. Right answer:

íbamos

From the Table below, we know that the correct conjugation of the verb ir that matches the first person plural in the imperfect is íbamos

. So we used to go to the mountains every winter. On the other hand, the word montañas is a feminine plural noun. Finally, we can write this sentence as follows:

Nosotros íbamos a las montañas cada invierno.

6. Right answer:

a) Yo solía caminar cada día.

Although the option b) is also a valid sentence, the option we choose in this problem is a). This is so because according to the problem we need to use the verb caminar. So caminar is a verb given in infinitive form. Recall that infinitive verbs are the most basic form of verbs in Spanish. Finally:

Yo solía caminar cada día.

7. Right answer:

d) Sara estaba enferma.

Estaba is the conjugation of the verb estar that matches the third person singular in the imperfect. So Sara can be replaced by ella. So here this verb is being used as emotion, expressing what Sara was feeling at a certain moment in the past. Finally we can write this sentence as follows:

Sara estaba enferma

8. Right answer:

c) We always used to study before the tests.

Estudiábamos is the conjugation of the verb estudiar that matches the first person plural in the imperfect. On the other hand, the word siempre is an adverb of time. This type of adverbs give information on time, duration, and frequency answering questions like When? and How often? On the other hand, an adverb is a word or group of words that describes or modifies a verb, adjective, another adverb or a whole sentence

9. Right answer:

iba/hacía

Iba is the conjugation of the verb ir that matches the third person singular in the imperfect as you can see from the Table below. So el muchacho can be replaced by the subject pronoun él. On the other hand, hacía is the conjugation of the verb hacer that matches this person as well. Finally, this can be written as follows:

El muchacho iba a la escuela y hacía su tarea cada día.

10. Right answer:

d) Veníamos para casa y llovía.

Veníamos is the conjugation of the verb venir for the first person plural in the imperfect. On the other hand, llovía is the conjugation of the verb llover that also matches this person in the imperfect. Finally, this is the best translation to the sentence:

We were coming home and it was raining

Answer 2

Question 1: c) para describir acciones habituales del pasado

Question 2: d) estar

Question 3: b) era, nadaba

Question 4: a) ibamos

Question 5: b) sería

Question 6: a) Yo solía caminar cada día.

Question 7: d) Sara estaba enferma,

Question 8: c) We always used to study before the tests.

Question 9: b) iba, hacía

Question 10: d) Veníamos para casa y llovía.