Free Spanish exercise on the regular imperfect tense. Fill in the correct imperfect form. Elementary–intermediate level.
📚 Quick grammar review
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Imperfect endings for -ar verbs — -ar verbs: -aba, -abas, -aba, -ábamos, -abais, -aban. Using hablar: hablaba, hablabas, hablaba, hablábamos, hablabais, hablaban. Note that yo and él/ella share the same form (hablaba) — context or subject pronouns clarify when needed.
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Imperfect endings for -er/-ir verbs — -er/-ir verbs: -ía, -ías, -ía, -íamos, -íais, -ían. Using comer: comía, comías, comía, comíamos, comíais, comían. The written accent on every form of -er/-ir verbs (-ía) prevents these endings from becoming diphthongs.
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Main uses of the imperfect — The imperfect describes: (1) habitual past actions: Todos los días corría por el parque; (2) ongoing past states: Tenía mucho trabajo; (3) background in narratives: Hacía frío y llovía; (4) age and time in the past: Eran las tres. Tenía diez años.
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Write the correct imperfect-tense form of each regular verb in (parentheses):
Example: Tu hablabas con ella. (hablar)
1. I used to live in New York. = Yo en Nueva York. (vivir)✓
2. Jessica was talking to her mother. = Jessica con su mamá. (hablar)✓
3. I ate fish every week. = pescado cada semana. (comer)✓
4. The dogs were playing in the street. = Los perros en la calle. (jugar)✓
5. You were cleaning the house. = (TU) la casa. (limpiar)✓
6. You guys were practicing Spanish. = Vosotros español. (practicar)✓
7. They were drinking all night. = Ellos toda la noche. (beber)✓
8. You were running. = (TU) . (correr)✓
9. You weren't studying. = Usted no . (estudiar)✓
10. We weren't listening to him. = No a él. (escuchar)✓
11. We were dancing. = (NOSOTROS) . (bailar)✓
12. They were studying. = Ellas . (estudiar)✓
13. We ate vegetables every day. = verduras diariamente. (comer)✓
14. She used to say those things. = (ELLA) esas cosas. (decir)✓
15. You guys (inf./Spain) were walking. = Vosotros . (caminar)✓
16. I didn't know. = No . (saber)✓
17. We were opening the window. = la ventana. (abrir)✓
18. She was looking at me. = Ella me . (mirar)✓
19. They were bringing three bags. = Ellos tres bolsas. (traer)✓
20. He was beginning to understand. = (ÉL) a entender. (empezar)✓