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Let's play with verbs [Indicative Mood - Imperfect Tense]

Let's play with verbs [Indicative Mood - Imperfect Tense]

17
votes

Grammar game: Indicative Mood - Imperfect Tense

Notes - The (Spanish) imperfect tense is used to:

  • Refer to actions in the past that occurred repeatedly.
  • Refer to actions in the past that occurred over an extended period of time.
  • "Set the stage" for an event that occurred in the past.
  • Actions which are not physical, that is feelings and mental actions, usually use the imperfect tense.

Tip: To describe actions that occurred repeatedly or habitually in the past in English, the phrases used to or would, past continuous, or simple past are used.


These are the rules:

**Write in Spanish and English, the conjugation of a different verb each time (included in a sentence). People must use the imperfect tense of indicative mood beginning with the letter A for each pronoun (I, you, he/she/it, we, you, they) then with B, etc. until you get to Z.

Examples:

Yo abría la puerta cuando empezó a llover.- I opened the door when it started raining.... (1st person)

Tú alimentabas a los animales cuando trabajabas en la granja. - You fed the animals when you worked on the farm.... (2nd person)

etc.

Note: Click on NEWEST to see the last answer typed

Grammar game: Indicative Mood - Imperfect Tense

Please, do not forget to be generous with your voting...Thanks

19629 views
updated ABR 21, 2010
edited by Carlos-F
posted by Carlos-F
worked on a/the farm - Morethan3words, MAR 19, 2010
Ok I think It would be fun!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! - Brezy09, MAR 20, 2010
Thanks Morethan... - Carlos-F, MAR 20, 2010

132 Answers

5
votes
Los armadores se ufanaban del barco "Titanic", Es insumergible.' The owners boasted of the ship "Titanic", "She's unsinkable."
updated ABR 20, 2010
edited by Moe
posted by Moe
Just a doubt Dear Moe.Shouldn't we say, "It's unsinkable" instead of "She's unsinkable"? If the answer is yes, the corresponding Spanish phrase would be "Es insumergible".. - Carlos-F, ABR 16, 2010
I warn you, that you are really the teacher in this case....Thanks Moe... - Carlos-F, ABR 16, 2010
In English, a boat/ship is commonly referred to as "she". I do not know why. I presumed this was true in Spanish speaking countries. - Moe, ABR 16, 2010
But, I guess that would be strange when it is "el" barco. I will change to "Es insumergible." - Moe, ABR 16, 2010
Poets refer to natural forces and objects as having gender, It's called "Personification." Strictly speaking they have no gender, they are playing with words. - Maria-Russell, ABR 17, 2010
Thanks for your excellent clarifications, Moe and Maria. - Carlos-F, ABR 17, 2010
6
votes

(Ellos) Bebían cuando empezó a temblar...

They drank when it all started ... confused

updated ABR 19, 2010
posted by Carlos-F
6
votes

(Él) Aprendía inglés y alemán al mismo tiempo.

He learned English and German at the same time.

grin

updated ABR 19, 2010
posted by Carlos-F
are you this 'he' Carlos? :) - galsally, MAR 29, 2010
6
votes

Yo abría la puerta cuando empezó a llover.

I opened the door when it started raining

updated ABR 19, 2010
posted by Carlos-F
Good morning Carlos - nizhoni1, MAR 8, 2010
Good morning Nizhoni... - Carlos-F, MAR 8, 2010
5
votes

Cuando eran niños respaldaban a sus padres en todo.

When they were children they used to support their parents in everything.

updated ABR 19, 2010
edited by torrontes75
posted by torrontes75
...respaldaban a ..... - Carlos-F, ABR 13, 2010
Gracias Carlos - torrontes75, ABR 13, 2010
5
votes

Recordábamos cuando cantábamos.

We remembered when we used to sing.

updated ABR 19, 2010
posted by MattM
Very good.... - Carlos-F, ABR 13, 2010
5
votes

Brindábais a la salud de vuestros padres en esos días.

You used to drink a toast for your parents' health in those days.

updated ABR 19, 2010
edited by Issabela
posted by Issabela
Brindábais would be the "imperfect tense". Brindaríais is the "conditional mood"... - Carlos-F, MAR 10, 2010
Tienes razón, gracias! :) - Issabela, MAR 10, 2010
5
votes

(Nosotros) Cada verano nos bronceábamos,

Every summer we used to get a suntan.

(Please correct my español)

updated ABR 19, 2010
edited by Maria-Russell
posted by Maria-Russell
5
votes

He screamed while he was in the shower.

Boceaba mientras estaba en la ducha

updated ABR 19, 2010
edited by melipiru
posted by melipiru
Excelente... - Carlos-F, MAR 9, 2010
5
votes

De niña buceabas mucho en el mar.

As a child, you used to dive a lot in the sea.

updated ABR 19, 2010
edited by Fidalgo
posted by Fidalgo
Gracias, Mr yesero... - Fidalgo, MAR 9, 2010
Very good.... - Carlos-F, MAR 9, 2010
Nice follow-up Fidalgo! And yes I did. :) - Yeser007, MAR 13, 2010
5
votes

I'm not entirely sure of the rules here but I think this is what you are looking for:

Yo bebía paraa su salud. I drank to his health. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

updated ABR 19, 2010
edited by Yeser007
posted by Yeser007
Welcome back Carlos. - Yeser007, MAR 8, 2010
looks good. yo + b-verb in imperitive. the nest will be tu+b-verb in imperitive - nizhoni1, MAR 8, 2010
the next will be tú+b-verb in imperative. - Maria-Russell, MAR 9, 2010
Thanks Yesero... - Carlos-F, MAR 9, 2010
The common expression would be "(Yo) bebí a su salud", because it was an action already finished (preterit tense)... - Carlos-F, MAR 9, 2010
In the new exercise you need to use imperfect tense: "Bebía a su salud..." would be fine... - Carlos-F, MAR 9, 2010
5
votes

Abarataban el precio el mercado con el producto. They brought down the price by inundating the market with product.

updated ABR 19, 2010
edited by nizhoni1
posted by nizhoni1
Abarataban el precio inundando el mercado con el producto... - Carlos-F, MAR 10, 2010
5
votes

(Vosotros) Almorzabais cada día en escuela. (In Spain only)

You lunched together every day at school.

Please correct my español

updated ABR 19, 2010
edited by Maria-Russell
posted by Maria-Russell
"You would lunch...", is in Potential Mood. - Carlos-F, MAR 10, 2010
You lunched together every day at school / Almorzabais cada día en la escuela. - Carlos-F, MAR 10, 2010
Thanks Carlos - Maria-Russell, MAR 11, 2010
5
votes

Cada vez nos abajábamos a su nivel sentíamos avergonzados. Every time we lowered ourselves to their level we felt ashamed.

updated ABR 19, 2010
edited by nizhoni1
posted by nizhoni1
Cada vez que nos bajábamos a su nivel nos sentíamos avergonzados... - Carlos-F, MAR 8, 2010
abajabamos or bajabamos? - nizhoni1, MAR 8, 2010
I think that "abajábamos" is less used, but it's grammatical correct... - Carlos-F, MAR 10, 2010
5
votes

No aprendías nada cuando la profesora enseñaba en la clase.

You didn't learn anything when the professor taught in the class.

updated ABR 19, 2010
edited by Fidalgo
posted by Fidalgo
Muy bien Fidalgo...Saludos.... - Carlos-F, MAR 8, 2010
Not sure of the grammatical necessity, but it sounds better to me if you say "No aprendías nada..." and "You didn't learn anything..." - Morethan3words, MAR 19, 2010
Thanks a lot, Carlos - Fidalgo, MAR 24, 2010
Gracias, Mr Morethan3words - Fidalgo, MAR 24, 2010
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