Level 2 — Elementary (CEFR: A2)
Unit 5 — Verb Group 1: -AR Verbs
Lesson 9 — Imperfect of -AR Verbs
Lesson Overview
Level: 2 — Elementary Unit: 5 — Verb Group 1: -AR Verbs Lesson: 9 of 14 Estimated Time: 75–90 minutes
What this lesson covers:
- The imperfect tense: what it means and when it is used
- The complete imperfect endings for -AR verbs
- Why the imperfect has no stem changes and no -AR irregulars (the easiest past tense)
- The four uses of the imperfect: habit, ongoing state, background, age/time
- Key time markers that signal the imperfect in incoming speech
- The ministry storytelling drill: before-and-after testimony structure
What the Imperfect Communicates
The imperfect (pretérito imperfecto) describes the past differently from the preterite. While the preterite captures completed, bounded actions — things that happened and finished — the imperfect describes:
- Habitual or repeated past actions (what used to happen)
- Ongoing past states or conditions (what was true over a period of time)
- Background context for a narrative (the scene that was set when something specific happened)
- Age, time, and descriptions in the past
The imperfect does not express a beginning or an end. It describes an open, ongoing, or repeating situation in the past — the camera is running, not a snapshot.
The English equivalents: The imperfect typically renders in English as:
- “used to [verb]” — for habitual actions
- “was/were [verb]-ing” — for ongoing actions
- “[verb]-ed” — sometimes, when context implies habit or background
Oraba cada mañana. — I used to pray every morning. / I was praying every morning. / I prayed every morning (as a habit).
All three English forms can represent the same Spanish imperfect sentence, depending on the narrative context.
The Imperfect Endings: -AR Verbs
Remove the -ar ending, add these endings:
| Pronoun | Ending | hablar |
|---|---|---|
| yo | -aba | hablaba |
| tú | -abas | hablabas |
| él / ella / usted | -aba | hablaba |
| nosotros | -ábamos | hablábamos |
| vosotros | -abais | hablabais |
| ellos / ellas / ustedes | -aban | hablaban |
Latin American five-form paradigm: hablaba — hablabas — hablaba — hablábamos — hablaban
Critical observation: The yo and él/ella/usted forms are identical: hablaba. Context determines which person is meant. This is the same ambiguity that exists in the present tense with the -a ending — resolved the same way: through context, explicit subject pronouns, or surrounding sentences.
No stem changes: Stem-changing -AR verbs revert to the original stem in the imperfect. Pensar becomes pensaba (not piensaba). Encontrar becomes encontraba (not encontraba). Wait — encontraba is regular. Recordar becomes recordaba (not recuerdaba). The stem-change simply does not apply in the imperfect.
No irregulars: Unlike the preterite, the -AR imperfect has no irregular forms and no spelling changes. Every -AR verb — including dar — follows this pattern perfectly.
dar → daba, dabas, daba, dábamos, daban — completely regular.
The Four Uses of the Imperfect in Ministry Speech
Use 1: Habitual or Repeated Past Actions
What a person used to do as a pattern, routine, or habit — before a change occurred.
Antes de conocer a Cristo, tomaba alcohol todos los días. — Before knowing Christ, I used to drink alcohol every day. Cuando era niño, mi abuela me enseñaba versículos de la Biblia. — When I was a child, my grandmother used to teach me Bible verses. El pastor visitaba a cada familia una vez al mes. — The pastor used to visit each family once a month. Oraban juntos cada noche. — They used to pray together every night.
Ministry significance: Testimonies are built on the contrast between habitual past life (imperfect) and what changed (preterite). This before/after structure is one of the most common narrative forms in evangelism and testimony. The interpreter who handles both tenses correctly carries the full emotional arc of the testimony.
Use 2: Ongoing Past States or Conditions
What was true over a period of time — not a specific event but a prolonged reality.
La iglesia era pequeña pero tenía mucha fe. — The church was small but had great faith. (ser and tener in imperfect) Los misioneros estaban cansados después de tres semanas en el campo. — The missionaries were tired after three weeks in the field. Había mucha necesidad espiritual en ese pueblo. — There was great spiritual need in that town. (haber → había) La gente buscaba algo más. — The people were looking for something more.
Use 3: Background Context (the “Stage Setting”)
In a narrative, the imperfect describes what was already in progress when the main event (preterite) occurred. It provides the background; the preterite provides the foreground event.
Predicaba cuando de repente comenzó a llover. — He was preaching when suddenly it began to rain. Orábamos en el cuarto trasero cuando el Espíritu Santo llegó con poder. — We were praying in the back room when the Holy Spirit came with power. La congregación adoraba cuando entró un hombre llorando. — The congregation was worshiping when a man entered weeping.
This use is extremely common in vivid ministry narratives — the kind of story where something remarkable happened. The background is imperfect; the interrupting event is preterite. (This will be trained systematically in Lesson 10.)
Use 4: Age, Time, and Descriptions in the Past
Stating someone’s age, describing what time it was, or describing physical or emotional states at a past moment.
Tenía veintidós años cuando Dios me llamó. — I was twenty-two years old when God called me. Era medianoche cuando terminó el servicio. — It was midnight when the service ended. El misionero estaba exhausto pero contento. — The missionary was exhausted but happy. La iglesia era muy humilde, pero el Espíritu era poderoso. — The church was very humble, but the Spirit was powerful.
Time Markers That Signal the Imperfect
When these expressions appear, expect the imperfect:
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| siempre | always |
| nunca | never |
| cada mañana / día / semana | every morning / day / week |
| todos los días / domingos | every day / Sunday |
| de niño / de joven | as a child / as a young person |
| cuando era niño | when I was a child |
| antes de conocer a Cristo | before knowing Christ |
| en aquellos tiempos | in those times |
| frecuentemente | frequently |
| a menudo | often |
| por lo general | generally / usually |
| con frecuencia | frequently |
| mientras | while (simultaneous ongoing action) |
Ministry -AR Verbs: Imperfect Conjugation
Every -AR verb is regular in the imperfect. Apply the -aba endings to any stem:
orar: oraba — orabas — oraba — orábamos — oraban predicar: predicaba — predicabas — predicaba — predicábamos — predicaban enseñar: enseñaba — enseñabas — enseñaba — enseñábamos — enseñaban adorar: adoraba — adorabas — adoraba — adorábamos — adoraban entregar: entregaba — entregabas — entregaba — entregábamos — entregaban
Stem-changing verbs use the original stem: pensar: pensaba — pensabas — pensaba — pensábamos — pensaban (not piensaba) encontrar: encontraba — encontrabas — encontraba — encontrábamos — encontraban (not encontrueba) recordar: recordaba — recordabas — recordaba — recordábamos — recordaban
The Ministry Storytelling Drill
This is the core drill from the curriculum. The exercise: describe what a missionary used to do before coming to Latin America (imperfect) vs. what changed on a specific day (preterite). Deliver it orally as a 60-second story.
Model story (read it aloud, then create your own):
Antes de venir a México, trabajaba en una empresa grande en los Estados Unidos. Ganaba buen dinero pero me faltaba algo. Buscaba significado pero no lo encontraba. Iba a la iglesia de vez en cuando pero no era creyente comprometido.
Entonces, un domingo, escuché un sermón sobre Jonás. El pastor habló sobre cómo Dios llama a personas ordinarias. De repente, Dios habló a mi corazón. Entregué mi vida al Señor ese día. Empecé a orar cada mañana. Dios llamó a mi familia a las misiones. Y aquí estamos.
Analysis:
- trabajaba, ganaba, faltaba, buscaba, encontraba, iba — all imperfect, all describing the habitual past state before Christ
- escuché, habló, entregué, empecé, llamó — all preterite, describing the specific events of conversion and calling
Your task: Create a 60-second before/after narrative for a fictional missionary. Use at least 5 imperfect verbs for the “before” section and at least 5 preterite verbs for the “after” section. Deliver it aloud. Record it.
Practice Exercises
Exercise 1 — Imperfect Conjugation Production
Conjugate each verb in the imperfect (all 5 Latin American forms):
orar — adorar — enseñar — predicar — dar
Exercise 2 — Imperfect Use Identification
For each sentence, identify which use of the imperfect applies (habit, ongoing state, background, age/time):
- Cuando era niño, mi padre oraba conmigo cada noche.
- Predicaba cuando entró un hombre llorando.
- La iglesia siempre adoraba por dos horas.
- Tenía veinticinco años cuando empezó el ministerio.
- La comunidad estaba muy cerrada al evangelio en aquellos años.
Exercise 3 — Preterite or Imperfect?
Choose the correct tense for each verb in parentheses. Explain your choice.
- Cada domingo, (adorar/nosotros) al Señor. → imperfect (habitual)
- El domingo pasado, (predicar/el pastor) sobre Juan 3. → preterite (specific completed event)
- Mientras (orar/nosotros), el Espíritu Santo (llegar). → imperfect / preterite (background + event)
- Antes de conocer a Cristo, (buscar/yo) significado en todo. → imperfect (habitual state)
- (Entregar/yo) mi vida a Dios hace diez años. → preterite (specific past event)
Exercise 4 — Ministry Storytelling Drill
Deliver the full 60-second before/after missionary story, as described above. No notes.
Key Takeaways for This Lesson
Before moving to Lesson 10:
- Know the five Latin American imperfect endings for -AR verbs: -aba, -abas, -aba, -ábamos, -aban
- Know that the imperfect has no stem changes and no -AR irregulars — it is the most regular past tense
- Know the four uses: habit, ongoing state, background context, age/time
- Know the time markers that signal the imperfect
- Have delivered the ministry storytelling drill orally
Daily Practice
Imperfect habit:
Every day this week, produce five imperfect sentences describing what you used to do or what was true in a past period. Make them personal and true:
De niño, asistía a la iglesia con mi familia. Cuando era joven, no entendía la gracia. Antes de este estudio, no hablaba español.
The imperfect describes the “before” of your story. Use it to tell yours.