Spanish Imperfect Tense exercises
Practise with the song. Listen to Sol and type the missing words, then choose the right form. The answers and explanations are at the bottom.
Step 1
Hear it, then type it
This exercise uses the song itself, so it opens when the song is out on Sat 3 Oct, 16:00 UK.
Step 2
Choose the right form
Once, or a habit? Choose the preterite (once) or the imperfect (used to).
1.De estudiante, en un bar.
As a student, I used to work in a bar.
2.En Madrid al gimnasio.
In Madrid I used to go to the gym.
3.Pero un día al médico.
But one day I went to the doctor.
4. , una vez; hablaba, costumbre.
“Hablé” is once, “hablaba” is a habit.
5.Vivir, viví, .
I lived, I used to live.
6.Ser, fui, , ir, fui, iba.
I was, used to be, I went, used to go.
7.Ver, vi, , ¡solo tres!
I saw, I used to see, just three!
0 of 7 answered
Answers
Choose the right form
- De estudiante, trabajaba en un bar.A habit back then (“used to”): the imperfect, with -aba: trabajaba.
- En Madrid iba al gimnasio.A habit, so the imperfect: ir is one of the three irregulars, iba.
- Pero un día fui al médico.“Un día” is one time: the preterite, fui.
- Hablé, una vez; hablaba, costumbre.Una vez (once) takes the preterite: hablé.
- Vivir, viví, vivía.“I used to live”: -er and -ir verbs take -ía in the imperfect, vivía.
- Ser, fui, era, ir, fui, iba.Ser is one of only three irregular imperfects: era.
- Ver, vi, veía, ¡solo tres!Ver keeps its e in the imperfect: veía, the third of the three irregulars.
Every verb from this song is in its group, with its infinitive, yo and él forms, in the verb tables on the song's page.
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