Práctica 2 Español 102 Nombre: ______ Fecha: ______
A. Preterite of stem-changing verbs. Complete the sentences/questions with the conjugation of the verb in parenthesis in the preterite. (30 p)
1. ¿__________________ tú y Timoteo huevos fritos con tostadas? (pidieron-pedimos)
2. Nosotros _______________ en un hotel barato cuando estuvimos en Nashville. (durmieron-dormimos)
3. Yo ______________ a mi mamá desde Louisville en mi auto. (seguí-siguió)
4. ¿Qué le ________________ su abuela cuando llegó a su casa? (sirvió-serviste)
5. (Yo) _____________ la ensalada dos veces. (repetí-repitió)
6. ¿ Qué (ustedes) ___________ comer en el restaurante? (prefirieron-preferimos)
B. Translation. Translate these sentences/questions to English/Spanish(40 p)
1. ¿Comes tanto como tu hermano? _____________________________________
2. ¿Qué país es menos violento: México o Costa Rica?
_____________________________
3. Alex is the youngest in his family. ____________________________________
4. Nora es la hermana mayor. ____________________________________________
5. Estoy comiendo tantas calorías como tú. ____________________________________
C. Irregular preterites. Complete with the correct forms of the verbs in parentheses. (25 p)
1. Yo _________ la verdad cuando la profesora me hizo las preguntas. (dije-dijiste-dijo)
2. Muchos estudiantes __________________ en After5 el viernes pasado. (estuvimos-estuvieron-estuvisteis)
3. El año pasado _____________ una fiesta con música latina en el campus. (hay-hubo)
4. ¿Deseas traducir esta canción? No, yo ya (already) la _____________ el sábado. (traduje-tradujo-tradujiste)
5. Iván ________________ una comida peruana deliciosa el sábado pasado. (traje-trajiste-trajo)
D. Cultura. Indica si la oración es CIERTA (C) o FALSA (F) de acuerdo a la parte de Cultura de la Lección 8. (5 p)
Los aztecas y mayas usaron el cacao como moneda. ______________
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
SPN 102: Práctica 1 Lección Preliminar
Práctica 1 Español 102 Nombre: _______ Fecha:____
A. Preterite Tense. Complete these sentences with the preterite tense of the verb provided in parenthesis. (30 p)
1. Gustavo ____________ un regalo muy bonito. (recibió-recibí-recibimos)
2. Nosotros ______________ una carta al gerente del centro comercial. (escribí-escribimos-escribiste)
3. ¿____________ (tú) la cuenta (the bill) con tu tarjeta de crédito o la de débito? (pagaste=pagué-pagó)
4. ¿Le ___________ (usted) el regalo para tu mamá? (compró-compraste-compré)
5. Yo ________ la tienda después de 10 minutos. (encontré-encontraste-encontró)
B. Preterite of ser and ir. Complete the sentences with the preterite of ser and ir (fui-fuiste-fue-fuimos-fueron). Then write the infinitive form of the verb used. (30 p) Modelo: Yo ___fui_______ a clase ayer. ___IR___
1. Nosotros ___________________ a casa de mi novio en Diciembre. ____________
2. La mama de mi novia ________________ muy amable cuando conoció a mis padres. _________
3. Las películas que vimos _______________ muy interesantes. Gracias. _____________
4. Mi abuelo _________________ maestros de primaria en Lewisport, KY. ____________
5. ¿________________ (tú) al centro comercial? _________
C. Creativity. Write a short paragraph about the last time you went shopping (minimum 5 sentences). Mention why you went shopping, and what you bought, etc. (40 p)
A. Preterite Tense. Complete these sentences with the preterite tense of the verb provided in parenthesis. (30 p)
1. Gustavo ____________ un regalo muy bonito. (recibió-recibí-recibimos)
2. Nosotros ______________ una carta al gerente del centro comercial. (escribí-escribimos-escribiste)
3. ¿____________ (tú) la cuenta (the bill) con tu tarjeta de crédito o la de débito? (pagaste=pagué-pagó)
4. ¿Le ___________ (usted) el regalo para tu mamá? (compró-compraste-compré)
5. Yo ________ la tienda después de 10 minutos. (encontré-encontraste-encontró)
B. Preterite of ser and ir. Complete the sentences with the preterite of ser and ir (fui-fuiste-fue-fuimos-fueron). Then write the infinitive form of the verb used. (30 p) Modelo: Yo ___fui_______ a clase ayer. ___IR___
1. Nosotros ___________________ a casa de mi novio en Diciembre. ____________
2. La mama de mi novia ________________ muy amable cuando conoció a mis padres. _________
3. Las películas que vimos _______________ muy interesantes. Gracias. _____________
4. Mi abuelo _________________ maestros de primaria en Lewisport, KY. ____________
5. ¿________________ (tú) al centro comercial? _________
C. Creativity. Write a short paragraph about the last time you went shopping (minimum 5 sentences). Mention why you went shopping, and what you bought, etc. (40 p)
Monday, February 28, 2011
SPN 101: Práctica 2: L2: La Universidad
Práctica 2 Español 101 Nombre: ____________ Fecha: ________
A. Present Tense of –ar verbs. Complete the sentences/questions with the conjugation of the verb in parenthesis. (30 p)
1. ¿__________________ (tú) karaoke algunas veces? (cantar)
2. Nosotros _______________ a tiempo (on time) a clase siempre. (llegar)
3. El semestre _______________ la segunda (second) semana de Diciembre (terminar)
4. ¿Cuándo ________________ (ustedes) softbol todos los días? (practicar)
5. (Yo) _____________ mucho con mis padres (parents). (conversar)
6. Mis amigos ___________ practicar su pronunciación mucho. (desear)
B. Questions:¿Y tú? Use complete sentences to answer these questions. (40 p)
1. ¿Qué estudias en la Universidad? ______________________________________
2. ¿Es Ricky Martin de Colombia? ___________________________________
3. ¿Dónde está el reloj en la clase de español?__________________________________
4. ¿A qué hora es tu clase favorita? _________________________________________
C. Ser vs. Estar. Complete with the correct forms of ser and estar. (25 p)
1. ¿De dónde en Perú ___________ usted? Yo soy de Tarapoto, San Martín. (es-eres-soy)
2. A: ¿Cómo está tu mamá? B: Ella _________ muy bien, gracias. (está-estás-estoy)
3. Los libros __________ encima del escritorio. (están-estamos-está)
4. Ahora nosotros ____________ en la biblioteca. (estamos-estoy-están)
5. Nashville no ____________ muy lejos (far) de Owensboro. (están-está-estamos)
D. Cultura section. Indicate if the statement is CIERTO (C) or FALSO (F) according to the Cultura Reading for Lección 2. (5p)
In Latin America students usually choose majors in their third year. _______
A. Present Tense of –ar verbs. Complete the sentences/questions with the conjugation of the verb in parenthesis. (30 p)
1. ¿__________________ (tú) karaoke algunas veces? (cantar)
2. Nosotros _______________ a tiempo (on time) a clase siempre. (llegar)
3. El semestre _______________ la segunda (second) semana de Diciembre (terminar)
4. ¿Cuándo ________________ (ustedes) softbol todos los días? (practicar)
5. (Yo) _____________ mucho con mis padres (parents). (conversar)
6. Mis amigos ___________ practicar su pronunciación mucho. (desear)
B. Questions:¿Y tú? Use complete sentences to answer these questions. (40 p)
1. ¿Qué estudias en la Universidad? ______________________________________
2. ¿Es Ricky Martin de Colombia? ___________________________________
3. ¿Dónde está el reloj en la clase de español?__________________________________
4. ¿A qué hora es tu clase favorita? _________________________________________
C. Ser vs. Estar. Complete with the correct forms of ser and estar. (25 p)
1. ¿De dónde en Perú ___________ usted? Yo soy de Tarapoto, San Martín. (es-eres-soy)
2. A: ¿Cómo está tu mamá? B: Ella _________ muy bien, gracias. (está-estás-estoy)
3. Los libros __________ encima del escritorio. (están-estamos-está)
4. Ahora nosotros ____________ en la biblioteca. (estamos-estoy-están)
5. Nashville no ____________ muy lejos (far) de Owensboro. (están-está-estamos)
D. Cultura section. Indicate if the statement is CIERTO (C) or FALSO (F) according to the Cultura Reading for Lección 2. (5p)
In Latin America students usually choose majors in their third year. _______
SPN 101: Práctica 1: L1: Hola, ¿qué tal?
Práctica 1 Español 101 Nombre: _________ Fecha: _______
A. Vocabulario. Answer these questions/or sentences in Spanish. (40 p)
1. ¿Como estás? _____________________________
2. ¿De dónde es usted? _________________________
3. Adiós. _______________________________
4. Le presento al Sr. Zevallos. _________________________
5. ¿Cómo se llama su mamá? ___________________________
B. Nouns and articles. Provide the PLURAL of these phrases. See the modelo. (30 p)
Modelo: El exámen. ___Los exámenes_____________
1. El hombre. __________________
2. Un libro. ____________________
3. La chica.. __________________
4. Una palabra. _______________________
5. La profesora. _______________________
C. Numbers 0-30. Answer the question to indicate how many ítems are as indicated in the number in parentheses. See modelo. (25p: 5x5)
Modelo: 2 cuadernos: ¿Cuántos cuadernos hay? Hay dos cuadernos.
1. 16 palabras. ________________________________
2. 15 libros. _______________________________________
3. 29 chicas. _____________________________________
D. Telling time. Complete the time in Spanish. The first and last parts of the answer are done.
Modelo: 7: 45pm: ¿Qué hora es? _Son las ocho menos quince de la noche.
1. 7:45 pm ¿Qué hora es? Son las __________________ de la noche.
2. 5:15pm ¿Qué hora es? Son las _________________ de la tarde.
3. 9:30 am ¿A qué hora es su clase de español? Mi clase es a las ____________ de la mañana.
E. Cultura section. Indicate if the statement is CIERTO (C) or FALSO (F) according to the Cultura Reading for Lección 1. (5p)
Men never greet with a kiss in Spanish-speaking countries. _________
A. Vocabulario. Answer these questions/or sentences in Spanish. (40 p)
1. ¿Como estás? _____________________________
2. ¿De dónde es usted? _________________________
3. Adiós. _______________________________
4. Le presento al Sr. Zevallos. _________________________
5. ¿Cómo se llama su mamá? ___________________________
B. Nouns and articles. Provide the PLURAL of these phrases. See the modelo. (30 p)
Modelo: El exámen. ___Los exámenes_____________
1. El hombre. __________________
2. Un libro. ____________________
3. La chica.. __________________
4. Una palabra. _______________________
5. La profesora. _______________________
C. Numbers 0-30. Answer the question to indicate how many ítems are as indicated in the number in parentheses. See modelo. (25p: 5x5)
Modelo: 2 cuadernos: ¿Cuántos cuadernos hay? Hay dos cuadernos.
1. 16 palabras. ________________________________
2. 15 libros. _______________________________________
3. 29 chicas. _____________________________________
D. Telling time. Complete the time in Spanish. The first and last parts of the answer are done.
Modelo: 7: 45pm: ¿Qué hora es? _Son las ocho menos quince de la noche.
1. 7:45 pm ¿Qué hora es? Son las __________________ de la noche.
2. 5:15pm ¿Qué hora es? Son las _________________ de la tarde.
3. 9:30 am ¿A qué hora es su clase de español? Mi clase es a las ____________ de la mañana.
E. Cultura section. Indicate if the statement is CIERTO (C) or FALSO (F) according to the Cultura Reading for Lección 1. (5p)
Men never greet with a kiss in Spanish-speaking countries. _________
Friday, February 25, 2011
SPN 101: Ser and Estar Ejercicios
Spanish Language Grammar: Ser/Estar
The verb SER and ESTAR mean ‘to be’ in English. In using these two verbs in Spanish, you are being asked to separate into categories various ways of being. The simplest dichotomy to be made is to mention that SER is used in enduring, fixed situations, while ESTAR is used in short-term, temporary situations. These are the conjugations:
Yo SOY (I am), tú ERES (You are), usted, él, ella ES (You singular, he, she IS); nosotros SOMOS (we ARE), vosotros SOIS (you plural Spain You are) ustedes/ellos SON (You plural/they ARE)
YO ESTOY (I am), tú ESTáS (You are), usted, él, ella ESTá (You singular, he, she IS); nosotros ESTAMOS (we ARE), vosotros ESTáIS (you plural Spain You are), ustedes/ellos ESTáN (you plural, they ARE).
Situations in which SER is used
Origin: Larry es de Lewisport, KY; Relationships: Ellos son mis padres, Ella es mi amiga; Physical Attributes: Carlos es alto; Personality characteristics: Miranda es simpática; Posession: Esta es mi casa; Profession: Mi papá es empleado en Walmart; Identification: Este es mi libro; Date and Time: Mañana es sábado; ¿Qué hora es? Son las….Es la..; Nationality: Fernando es japonés, Esperanza y Elena son salvadoreñas; Natural color: Mi amor es rojo.
Ejercicio 1. Translate these sentences into Spanish.
1. Where are you from? 2. Who is she? 3. How is Valentina (physically, físicamente)? 4. How is your mother in her personality (personalidad)? 5. Whose book is this?
Situations in which ESTAR is used
Location: Estamos en la biblioteca (library); Mood: Estoy triste; Ella está de buen/mal humor (good/bad humor); Physical condition: Ella está enferma (sick); Result of action: Estoy sentado (I am seated), Ahora estoy parado (Now I am standing); Unnatural color or condition: El cielo está gris (gray); La nieve está amarilla (The snow is yellow); Going from the general to the particular: Este café está buenísimo (This coffee is very good).
Ejercicio 2. Translate these sentences into Spanish.
1. Where are you? 2. Jorge is sleepy (con sueño); 3. The sky is white; 4. Maria is standing next to the door. 5. They are in the cafeteria.
The verb SER and ESTAR mean ‘to be’ in English. In using these two verbs in Spanish, you are being asked to separate into categories various ways of being. The simplest dichotomy to be made is to mention that SER is used in enduring, fixed situations, while ESTAR is used in short-term, temporary situations. These are the conjugations:
Yo SOY (I am), tú ERES (You are), usted, él, ella ES (You singular, he, she IS); nosotros SOMOS (we ARE), vosotros SOIS (you plural Spain You are) ustedes/ellos SON (You plural/they ARE)
YO ESTOY (I am), tú ESTáS (You are), usted, él, ella ESTá (You singular, he, she IS); nosotros ESTAMOS (we ARE), vosotros ESTáIS (you plural Spain You are), ustedes/ellos ESTáN (you plural, they ARE).
Situations in which SER is used
Origin: Larry es de Lewisport, KY; Relationships: Ellos son mis padres, Ella es mi amiga; Physical Attributes: Carlos es alto; Personality characteristics: Miranda es simpática; Posession: Esta es mi casa; Profession: Mi papá es empleado en Walmart; Identification: Este es mi libro; Date and Time: Mañana es sábado; ¿Qué hora es? Son las….Es la..; Nationality: Fernando es japonés, Esperanza y Elena son salvadoreñas; Natural color: Mi amor es rojo.
Ejercicio 1. Translate these sentences into Spanish.
1. Where are you from? 2. Who is she? 3. How is Valentina (physically, físicamente)? 4. How is your mother in her personality (personalidad)? 5. Whose book is this?
Situations in which ESTAR is used
Location: Estamos en la biblioteca (library); Mood: Estoy triste; Ella está de buen/mal humor (good/bad humor); Physical condition: Ella está enferma (sick); Result of action: Estoy sentado (I am seated), Ahora estoy parado (Now I am standing); Unnatural color or condition: El cielo está gris (gray); La nieve está amarilla (The snow is yellow); Going from the general to the particular: Este café está buenísimo (This coffee is very good).
Ejercicio 2. Translate these sentences into Spanish.
1. Where are you? 2. Jorge is sleepy (con sueño); 3. The sky is white; 4. Maria is standing next to the door. 5. They are in the cafeteria.
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
SPN 101: Práctica 3: La familia
Práctica 3: La familia Español 101
Nombre: ________________________ Fecha: _________________
A. Descriptive Adjectives. Complete the sentences/questions with the descriptive adjective in parenthesis. (15 p)
1. Mis hermanas son delgadas, bajas, y muy __________________ (bonito)
2. ¿Son tú y Miguel ______________ amigos? (bueno)
3. Mi tía colombiana es una profesora __________________. (famoso)
B. Possessive Adjectives. Translate the sentences that have possessive adjectives/prepositional phrases into Spanish. (15 p)
1. Is this your (familiar) grandmother? ______________________________________________
2. Who are Julio’s roommates? _______________________________________________
3. We buy a new photo album. It’s our album. _______________________________________________
C. Present Tense of –er and –ir verbs. Complete with the correct forms of the verbs in parentheses. (30 p)
1. ¿Dónde ____________ tus padres? (vivir).
2. ¿Qué comen? Yo ___________ una ensalada y Lilian un sándwich. (comer)
3. Ustedes ________________ respetar a sus abuelos (deber)
4. ¿____________ (usted) a bailar cumbia con mi familia? (aprender)
5. Mi sobrino siempre _______________ cartas para mi hermana. (escribir)
6. Yo _______________ a clases todos los días. (asistir)
D. Questions:¿Y tú? Use complete sentences to answer these questions. (35 p)
1. ¿Tiene usted miedo de tomar exámenes? _________________________________________________________
2. ¿Cuántos años tiene su mamá?
_________________________________________________________
3. ¿Tienes tú que estudiar esta noche?
________________________________________________________
4. ¿En vacaciones, va a su casa en auto o en avión?
________________________________________________________
E. Cultura. Indicate if the statement is CIERTO (C) or FALSO (F) according to the Cultura Reading for Lección 3. (5p)
In the Spanish-speaking world, generally legally married women retain two maiden surnames. ____________
Nombre: ________________________ Fecha: _________________
A. Descriptive Adjectives. Complete the sentences/questions with the descriptive adjective in parenthesis. (15 p)
1. Mis hermanas son delgadas, bajas, y muy __________________ (bonito)
2. ¿Son tú y Miguel ______________ amigos? (bueno)
3. Mi tía colombiana es una profesora __________________. (famoso)
B. Possessive Adjectives. Translate the sentences that have possessive adjectives/prepositional phrases into Spanish. (15 p)
1. Is this your (familiar) grandmother? ______________________________________________
2. Who are Julio’s roommates? _______________________________________________
3. We buy a new photo album. It’s our album. _______________________________________________
C. Present Tense of –er and –ir verbs. Complete with the correct forms of the verbs in parentheses. (30 p)
1. ¿Dónde ____________ tus padres? (vivir).
2. ¿Qué comen? Yo ___________ una ensalada y Lilian un sándwich. (comer)
3. Ustedes ________________ respetar a sus abuelos (deber)
4. ¿____________ (usted) a bailar cumbia con mi familia? (aprender)
5. Mi sobrino siempre _______________ cartas para mi hermana. (escribir)
6. Yo _______________ a clases todos los días. (asistir)
D. Questions:¿Y tú? Use complete sentences to answer these questions. (35 p)
1. ¿Tiene usted miedo de tomar exámenes? _________________________________________________________
2. ¿Cuántos años tiene su mamá?
_________________________________________________________
3. ¿Tienes tú que estudiar esta noche?
________________________________________________________
4. ¿En vacaciones, va a su casa en auto o en avión?
________________________________________________________
E. Cultura. Indicate if the statement is CIERTO (C) or FALSO (F) according to the Cultura Reading for Lección 3. (5p)
In the Spanish-speaking world, generally legally married women retain two maiden surnames. ____________
Monday, February 21, 2011
SPN 102: Imperfect Tense
Spanish Language Grammar: Verb Tenses
Imperfect Tense (Indicative Mood)
Indicative Mood: Expresses facts, and actual situations: Ejemplo: Trabajaba todos los días.
Nearly all verbs in the imperfect are regular. Only three verbs: ser, ir, and ver-are irregular. Observe the endings for the –ar, -er, and –ir verbs.
ar (hablar) er (comer) ir (vivir)
(I used to speak, etc) (I used to eat, etc) (I used to live, etc)
Yo hablaba comía vivía
Tú hablabas comías vivías
El,Ella, Ud. hablaba comía vivía
Nosotros hablábamos comíamos vivíamos
Vosotros hablabais comíais vivíais
Ellos/as,Uds. hablaban comían vivían
Irregular Verbs in the Imperfect
ser ir ver
(I used to be, etc) (I used to go, etc) (I used to see, etc)
Yo era iba veía
Tú eras ibas veías
El,Ella, Ud. era iba veía
Nosotros éramos íbamos veíamos
Vosotros erais ibais veíais
Ellos/as,Uds. eran iban veían
When to use the imperfect?
A. Habitual or continous actions in the past: When the action is similar to “I used to…”, i.e. there is no indication of when or how many times the action occurred or for how long.
Ejercicio 1. Translate into Spanish.
1. I used to study music. 2. Where did you all use to work? 3. You (sing, formal) used to read lots of books. 4. My mother used to cook pasta. 5. My siblings used to play hide and seek.
B. Basic simple description: Whereas the preterite emphasizes physical action, the imperfect frequently focuses on background description. The reference is what things were like, rather than what happened. Note the verbs ser which is used for description, origin, time and estar, used to denote location, short-term conditions, and the result of an action, are used frequently used in these situations. Consider:
Aldo compró un carro (Aldo bought a car). Preterite (specific action)
El carro era azul (The car was blue). Imperfect (description)
Sandra se casó (Sandra got married). Preterite (specific action)
Sandra estaba casada (Sandra was married). Imperfect (description)
Ejercicio 2. Translate into Spanish.
1. My grandfather was a fisherman (granjero). 2. Veronica was pregnant (embarazada). 3. Where was the money? 4. My pen didn’t write. 5. I was embarrased (avergonzado).
C. “-Ing” in the past. References to actions in progress in the past (“I was working”) generally omit mention of a specfic lenght of time, and thus are in the imperfect. We often use this format to describe two actions going on at the same time. I was writing while Greg was painting (Yo estaba escribiendo mientras Greg estaba pintando/Yo escribía y Greg pintaba).
Ejercicio 3. Translate into Spanish.
1. We were living in the country (campo). 2. They were listening to the radio while they were studying. 3. Why were you watching TV while I was studying? 4. The children were playing in the garden. 5. What were you doing last night?
D. “Would” and “could” in the past: In the imperfect, “would” is equivalent to “used to”, while “could” is equivalent to “was, were able to” when translated into Spanish. Consider:
Cuando yo era joven, jugaba al béisbol cada fin de semana.
When I was young, I would play baseball every weekend.
Cuando nosotros vivíamos en Lima, podíamos nadar más a menudo.
When we lived in Florida, we could swim more often.
Ejercicio 4. Translate into Spanish.
1. As a child, my father would help my grandmother in the house. 2. Last year they couldn’t speak Spanish. 3. When Vicky worked (used to work) at the bank, she would drink lots of coffee every morning. 4. They couldn’t read because they didn’t know how. 5. Where would you go when you were a kid?
E. Key words and phrases: Some words are used to describe frequency of a past action, imply repetitive, uncounted occurrences of that action. When one of these words or phrases appears in a sentence describing an ongoing past action, use the imperfect.
A menudo (often); a veces (sometimes); cada día; con frecuencia, cuando (whenver), de vez en cuando, frecuentemente, muchas veces, nunca, por un rato, siempre, todo el día, todo el tiempo
Ejercicio 5. Translate into Spanish.
1. I always studied before a test. 2. He frequently called me after 10pm. 3. They always cheated (engañar) whenever we played cards. 4. She never bought anything without a coupon (cupón). 5. My aunt was never happy.
F. Clock time and age in the past. When referring to time of the day or one’s age in the past always use the imperfect. There are only two verbs involved here: ser (for clock time) and tener (for age). Note that these references are made to actions generally in the preterite. Observe:
Eran las diez cuando llegué a clase. It was 10 when I arrived to class.
Mi mamá tenía 15 años cuando conoció a mi papá. My mom was 15 when she met my dad.
Ejercicio 6. Translate into Spanish.
1. It was midnight when my sister calle me. 2. What time was when you finished the book? 3. She had a baby when she was forty. 4. Where did you live when you were 14? 5. I learned how to ride a bike when I was 8 years old.
G. Había-the past of hay: Just as hay in the present tense is both singular and plural (there is, there are), its imperfect form, había (from the verb haber), means both there was and there was. Había is used to express existence, not action.
Ejercicio 7. Translate into Spanish.
1.There were twenty people at the party. 2. In the summer there were lots of children in the park. 3. There weren’t any women in the game. 4. There was garbage (basura) on the streets. 5. There wasn’t any gasoline in the tank (Any does not translate).
H. “Going to do” something in the past: The expression of intent, ir+a+infinitive (I am going to take a trip) is a mental expression: there is no physical action taking place. Such sentences in the past, therefore, will be in the imperfect.
Yo iba a comprar un carro. I was going to buy a car.
El iba a cantar. He was going to sing.
Ejercicio 8. Translate into Spanish.
1. We were going to eat. 2. When was Elena going to bring us the report? 3. How were you going to do this? 4. Were you going to call me? 5. I was going to study last night.
Imperfect Tense (Indicative Mood)
Indicative Mood: Expresses facts, and actual situations: Ejemplo: Trabajaba todos los días.
Nearly all verbs in the imperfect are regular. Only three verbs: ser, ir, and ver-are irregular. Observe the endings for the –ar, -er, and –ir verbs.
ar (hablar) er (comer) ir (vivir)
(I used to speak, etc) (I used to eat, etc) (I used to live, etc)
Yo hablaba comía vivía
Tú hablabas comías vivías
El,Ella, Ud. hablaba comía vivía
Nosotros hablábamos comíamos vivíamos
Vosotros hablabais comíais vivíais
Ellos/as,Uds. hablaban comían vivían
Irregular Verbs in the Imperfect
ser ir ver
(I used to be, etc) (I used to go, etc) (I used to see, etc)
Yo era iba veía
Tú eras ibas veías
El,Ella, Ud. era iba veía
Nosotros éramos íbamos veíamos
Vosotros erais ibais veíais
Ellos/as,Uds. eran iban veían
When to use the imperfect?
A. Habitual or continous actions in the past: When the action is similar to “I used to…”, i.e. there is no indication of when or how many times the action occurred or for how long.
Ejercicio 1. Translate into Spanish.
1. I used to study music. 2. Where did you all use to work? 3. You (sing, formal) used to read lots of books. 4. My mother used to cook pasta. 5. My siblings used to play hide and seek.
B. Basic simple description: Whereas the preterite emphasizes physical action, the imperfect frequently focuses on background description. The reference is what things were like, rather than what happened. Note the verbs ser which is used for description, origin, time and estar, used to denote location, short-term conditions, and the result of an action, are used frequently used in these situations. Consider:
Aldo compró un carro (Aldo bought a car). Preterite (specific action)
El carro era azul (The car was blue). Imperfect (description)
Sandra se casó (Sandra got married). Preterite (specific action)
Sandra estaba casada (Sandra was married). Imperfect (description)
Ejercicio 2. Translate into Spanish.
1. My grandfather was a fisherman (granjero). 2. Veronica was pregnant (embarazada). 3. Where was the money? 4. My pen didn’t write. 5. I was embarrased (avergonzado).
C. “-Ing” in the past. References to actions in progress in the past (“I was working”) generally omit mention of a specfic lenght of time, and thus are in the imperfect. We often use this format to describe two actions going on at the same time. I was writing while Greg was painting (Yo estaba escribiendo mientras Greg estaba pintando/Yo escribía y Greg pintaba).
Ejercicio 3. Translate into Spanish.
1. We were living in the country (campo). 2. They were listening to the radio while they were studying. 3. Why were you watching TV while I was studying? 4. The children were playing in the garden. 5. What were you doing last night?
D. “Would” and “could” in the past: In the imperfect, “would” is equivalent to “used to”, while “could” is equivalent to “was, were able to” when translated into Spanish. Consider:
Cuando yo era joven, jugaba al béisbol cada fin de semana.
When I was young, I would play baseball every weekend.
Cuando nosotros vivíamos en Lima, podíamos nadar más a menudo.
When we lived in Florida, we could swim more often.
Ejercicio 4. Translate into Spanish.
1. As a child, my father would help my grandmother in the house. 2. Last year they couldn’t speak Spanish. 3. When Vicky worked (used to work) at the bank, she would drink lots of coffee every morning. 4. They couldn’t read because they didn’t know how. 5. Where would you go when you were a kid?
E. Key words and phrases: Some words are used to describe frequency of a past action, imply repetitive, uncounted occurrences of that action. When one of these words or phrases appears in a sentence describing an ongoing past action, use the imperfect.
A menudo (often); a veces (sometimes); cada día; con frecuencia, cuando (whenver), de vez en cuando, frecuentemente, muchas veces, nunca, por un rato, siempre, todo el día, todo el tiempo
Ejercicio 5. Translate into Spanish.
1. I always studied before a test. 2. He frequently called me after 10pm. 3. They always cheated (engañar) whenever we played cards. 4. She never bought anything without a coupon (cupón). 5. My aunt was never happy.
F. Clock time and age in the past. When referring to time of the day or one’s age in the past always use the imperfect. There are only two verbs involved here: ser (for clock time) and tener (for age). Note that these references are made to actions generally in the preterite. Observe:
Eran las diez cuando llegué a clase. It was 10 when I arrived to class.
Mi mamá tenía 15 años cuando conoció a mi papá. My mom was 15 when she met my dad.
Ejercicio 6. Translate into Spanish.
1. It was midnight when my sister calle me. 2. What time was when you finished the book? 3. She had a baby when she was forty. 4. Where did you live when you were 14? 5. I learned how to ride a bike when I was 8 years old.
G. Había-the past of hay: Just as hay in the present tense is both singular and plural (there is, there are), its imperfect form, había (from the verb haber), means both there was and there was. Había is used to express existence, not action.
Ejercicio 7. Translate into Spanish.
1.There were twenty people at the party. 2. In the summer there were lots of children in the park. 3. There weren’t any women in the game. 4. There was garbage (basura) on the streets. 5. There wasn’t any gasoline in the tank (Any does not translate).
H. “Going to do” something in the past: The expression of intent, ir+a+infinitive (I am going to take a trip) is a mental expression: there is no physical action taking place. Such sentences in the past, therefore, will be in the imperfect.
Yo iba a comprar un carro. I was going to buy a car.
El iba a cantar. He was going to sing.
Ejercicio 8. Translate into Spanish.
1. We were going to eat. 2. When was Elena going to bring us the report? 3. How were you going to do this? 4. Were you going to call me? 5. I was going to study last night.
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