A2.1 · Week 3About 60 minutes · Audio throughout

When I Was Young

Cuando yo era joven

Talking about childhood memories and things you used to do.

After this lesson, you'll be able to

Describe what life was like when you were a child
Talk about things you used to do regularly
Conjugate regular and irregular verbs in the imperfect

Stage 1

Week 1: What Did You Do?
Week 2: A Terrible Day
Week 3: When I Was Young (this lesson)
Week 4: How Things Used to Be
Week 5: What Happened While...
Week 6: At the Doctor's
Week 7: I Bought It for Her
Week 8: Can You Tell Me?
Week 9: Bigger, Better, Best
Week 10: My Neighbourhood
Week 11: Telling a Story
Week 12: Review & Assessment

Week 3 of 12

Next lesson: Week 4: How Things Used to Be →

Grammar focus

Essential grammar for this lesson with examples.

Grammar point 1 of 6

What is the imperfect tense?

The imperfect (el imperfecto) is a past tense used to talk about things that used to happen, were happening, or to describe how things were. Unlike the preterite (which you learned for completed actions), the imperfect is for ongoing, repeated, or background situations in the past.

Think of it this way: the preterite is a photograph (a single moment), while the imperfect is a video (an ongoing scene).

The imperfect is used for:
- Habitual actions: things you used to do regularly
- Descriptions: what people, places, or things were like
- Background information: setting the scene in a story
- Age and time in the past: "I was 10 years old", "It was 3 o'clock"

Examples

De niña, yo jugaba en el parque.As a child, I used to play in the park. (habitual action)

Mi abuela era muy simpática.My grandmother was very nice. (description)

Hacía sol y los pájaros cantaban.It was sunny and the birds were singing. (background/scene)

Yo tenía diez años.I was ten years old. (age in the past)

Tip

In English, the imperfect often translates as "used to..." or "was/were ...ing". If you can say "used to" in English, you almost certainly need the imperfect in Spanish.

Grammar point 2 of 6

Regular -AR verbs in the imperfect

Great news - the imperfect is one of the easiest tenses to conjugate! For -AR verbs, remove the -ar ending and add these endings: -aba, -abas, -aba, -ábamos, -abais, -aban.

Notice that the yo and él/ella forms are identical. Context (or a subject pronoun such as yo or ella) usually makes it clear who you're talking about.

Also notice the accent on -ábamos (nosotros form) - it's the only form with an accent mark.

hablar (to speak) - Imperfect

The highlighted part is the ending.

Person	Singular	Plural
1st person	(yo) hablaba	(nosotros/as) hablábamos
2nd person	(tú) hablabas	(vosotros/as) hablabais
3rd person	(él/ella/Ud.) hablaba	(ellos/ellas/Uds.) hablaban

Examples

De niño, yo jugaba al fútbol todos los días.As a child, I used to play football every day.

Mi madre cocinaba muy bien.My mum used to cook very well.

Siempre hablábamos en español en casa.We always used to speak Spanish at home.

Tip

The yo and él/ella forms are always the same in the imperfect: hablaba, jugaba, cocinaba. You'll know who's being talked about from context.

Grammar point 3 of 6

Regular -ER/-IR verbs in the imperfect

-ER and -IR verbs share the same imperfect endings. Remove the -er or -ir and add: -ía, -ías, -ía, -íamos, -íais, -ían.

All of these endings have an accent on the í - this is important for pronunciation. And just like -AR verbs, the yo and él/ella forms are identical.

comer (to eat) & vivir (to live) - Imperfect

The highlighted part is the ending.

	comer	vivir
(yo)	comía	vivía
(tú)	comías	vivías
(él/ella/Ud.)	comía	vivía
(nosotros/as)	comíamos	vivíamos
(vosotros/as)	comíais	vivíais
(ellos/ellas/Uds.)	comían	vivían

Examples

De pequeño, yo comía mucho chocolate.When I was little, I used to eat a lot of chocolate.

Vivíamos en una casa grande.We used to live in a big house.

Mi padre leía el periódico por la mañana.My father used to read the newspaper in the morning.

Tip

Remember: -ER and -IR verbs have the exact same imperfect endings. One less set of endings to memorise!

Grammar point 4 of 6

The only 3 irregular verbs!

Here is the best thing about the imperfect tense - there are only three irregular verbs: ser (to be), ir (to go), and ver (to see). Every other verb in Spanish is regular in the imperfect. Compare that to the preterite, which has dozens of irregulars!

Let's look at each one:

ser, ir, ver - Imperfect

	ser (to be)	ir (to go)	ver (to see)
(yo)	era	iba	veía
(tú)	eras	ibas	veías
(él/ella/Ud.)	era	iba	veía
(nosotros/as)	éramos	íbamos	veíamos
(vosotros/as)	erais	ibais	veíais
(ellos/ellas/Uds.)	eran	iban	veían

Examples

De niña, yo era muy tímida.As a child, I was very shy.

Íbamos al colegio a las ocho.We used to go to school at eight.

Siempre veía dibujos animados por la tarde.I always used to watch cartoons in the afternoon.

Tip

Only 3 irregulars in the entire imperfect tense! Compare that to the preterite where ser AND ir share the same forms (fui, fuiste...). The imperfect is much friendlier.

Grammar point 5 of 6

Key time expressions for the imperfect

Certain time expressions are strong signals that you need the imperfect tense. These words indicate habitual, repeated, or ongoing actions in the past. When you see or hear these expressions, think imperfect!

Imperfect Time Expressions

Spanish	English
de niño/a	as a child
de pequeño/a	when little
cuando era joven	when I was young
siempre	always
todos los días	every day
normalmente	normally
a menudo	often
en aquella época	in those days
antes	before / in the past

Examples

De niño, jugaba en la calle.As a child, I used to play in the street.

Cuando era pequeño, vivía en Madrid.When I was little, I lived in Madrid.

Siempre comía en casa de mi abuela los domingos.I always used to eat at my grandmother's house on Sundays.

Todos los días íbamos al parque.Every day we used to go to the park.

Normalmente estudiaba por la tarde.I normally used to study in the afternoon.

A menudo visitábamos a nuestros primos.We often used to visit our cousins.

En aquella época, no había internet.In those days, there was no internet.

Tip

These expressions are your "imperfect clues". If you see todos los días, siempre, normalmente, or de niño/a, you almost certainly need the imperfect.

Grammar point 6 of 6

Imperfect for descriptions

One of the most important uses of the imperfect is to describe how things were in the past. This includes describing people (appearance, personality), places, weather, emotions, and general states. A handful of verbs appear constantly in these descriptions:

- ser - what something/someone was like
- tener - what someone had (age, possessions, features)
- hacer - what the weather was like
- haber (había) - what there was/were
- estar - how someone felt or where something was

Examples

Mi colegio era grande y moderno.My school was big and modern.

Mi profesora tenía el pelo largo.My teacher had long hair.

Siempre hacía calor en verano.It was always hot in summer.

Había un parque cerca de mi casa.There was a park near my house.

Yo estaba contenta en el colegio.I was happy at school.

Tip

When you tell a story, the imperfect sets the scene: "Era un día bonito, hacía sol, los niños jugaban en el parque..." (It was a nice day, it was sunny, the children were playing in the park...)

Conversation

Conversation example

Ana and Pablo are having coffee and start reminiscing about their childhoods. Ana grew up in Guadalajara, Mexico, and Pablo grew up in Madrid, Spain.

AnaPablo, yo siempre pienso en mi infancia en Guadalajara. Era una época muy bonita.Pablo, I always think about my childhood in Guadalajara. It was a really beautiful time.
PabloYo también. De niño, yo era muy travieso. Mi madre siempre decía: "Pablo, ven aquí ahora mismo."Me too. As a child, I was very naughty. My mother always used to say: "Pablo, come here right now."
Ana¡Ja, ja! Yo era más tranquila. Todos los días, después del colegio, iba al parque con mi hermano Diego.Ha ha! I was calmer. Every day, after school, I used to go to the park with my brother Diego.
Pablo¡Qué bien! Yo jugaba al fútbol en el patio del colegio con mis compañeros.How nice! I used to play football in the school courtyard with my classmates.
AnaLos fines de semana, íbamos a la casa de mi abuela. Ella cocinaba unas enchiladas increíbles.At weekends, we used to go to my grandmother's house. She used to cook incredible enchiladas.
PabloMi abuela también cocinaba muy bien. Hacía una paella todos los domingos.My grandmother also used to cook very well. She used to make paella every Sunday.
AnaY por las tardes, yo veía dibujos animados con Sofía. Nos gustaban mucho.And in the afternoons, I used to watch cartoons with Sofía. We liked them a lot.
PabloYo también veía dibujos animados. Y mi hermana Carmen siempre leía libros. Era muy estudiosa.I also used to watch cartoons. And my sister Carmen always read books. She was very studious.
Ana¡Qué recuerdos! De niña, todo era más simple, ¿verdad?What memories! As a child, everything was simpler, right?
PabloSí, tienes razón. No había teléfonos móviles, no había redes sociales... Solo jugábamos y éramos felices.Yes, you're right. There were no mobile phones, no social media... We just played and were happy.

Culture

Childhood in the Spanish-speaking world

Childhood experiences across the Spanish-speaking world share many common threads, even as they differ by region. In many countries, children grow up spending a great deal of time outdoors - playing in plazas, parks, and streets with neighbourhood children. The concept of "jugar en la calle" (playing in the street) is a cherished memory for many adults, something that has become less common in bigger cities today. Family closeness is central to childhood across Latin America and Spain. Grandparents often live nearby or even in the same house, and weekend visits to "la casa de la abuela" (grandmother's house) are a beloved tradition. These gatherings revolve around food - whether it's paella in Spain, enchiladas in Mexico, or arepas in Colombia. School systems vary: in Spain, primary school is called "el colegio" and typically runs from ages 6 to 12, while "el instituto" covers secondary education. In many Latin American countries, "la escuela" is the more common term. The school day often includes a long midday break, and in some regions children go home for lunch with their families - a tradition connected to the broader culture of shared mealtimes.

Want to learn more?

The Imperfect Tense - Full Guide

Vocabulary

Key words and phrases for this lesson.

Childhood & school

de niño/aas a child (boy/girl)
de pequeño/awhen little
la infanciachildhood
el colegioschool (primary)Used more in Spain; escuela is more common in Latin America
la escuelaschool
el recreobreak time
el patioplayground / courtyard
el/la profesor/ateacher
el/la compañero/a de claseclassmate
los debereshomeworkIn Latin America: la tarea
el examenexam / test
la asignaturaschool subject

Childhood activities

jugar al fútbolto play football
montar en bicicletato ride a bicycle
ver dibujos animadosto watch cartoons
trepar a los árbolesto climb trees
jugar al esconditeto play hide-and-seek
coleccionarto collect
dibujarto draw
jugarto play
correrto run
nadarto swim
saltar a la combato skip (with a rope)In Latin America: saltar la cuerda

Time expressions for the imperfect

de niño/aas a child
cuando era pequeño/awhen I was little
siemprealways
todos los díasevery day
normalmentenormally
a menudooften
en aquella épocain those days / at that time
antesbefore / in the past
cada veranoevery summer
los fines de semanaat weekends

Useful descriptive words

tímido/ashy
travieso/anaughty / mischievous
curioso/acurious
tranquilo/acalm / quiet
divertido/afun
el barrioneighbourhood
el vecino / la vecinaneighbour
la abuela / el abuelograndmother / grandfather

Practice

Test your understanding with these exercises.

Exercise 1 of 5 · Matching

Match each infinitive to its correct imperfect "yo" form:

Infinitive

Imperfect (yo)

Exercise 2 of 5 · Fill in the blanks

Conjugate the verb in brackets in the imperfect tense:

De niño, yo al fútbol todos los días. (jugar)
Mi abuela unas enchiladas increíbles. (cocinar)
Nosotros en una casa grande. (vivir)
Mis hermanos dibujos animados por la tarde. (ver)
Tú muy tímida de pequeña. (ser)
Vosotros al parque después del colegio. (ir)

Exercise 3 of 5 · Multiple choice

Choose the correct imperfect form to complete each sentence:

1. De niña, yo _____ muy curiosa. (ser)
2. Nosotros siempre _____ al colegio a las ocho. (ir)
3. Mi padre _____ el periódico todas las mañanas. (leer)
4. Mis amigos y yo _____ en el patio durante el recreo. (jugar)
5. En aquella época, no _____ internet. (haber)

Exercise 4 of 5 · Fill in the blanks

Complete these sentences about childhood using the imperfect:

Cuando era pequeño, yo en bicicleta por el barrio. (montar)
Mi colegio cerca de mi casa. (estar)
Mis abuelos en un pueblo pequeño. (vivir)
Siempre mucho calor en verano. (hacer)
Mi hermana y yo a los árboles del jardín. (trepar)

Exercise 5 of 5 · Reading

Read the passage about María's childhood and answer the questions:

Lectura

Me llamo María y soy de un pueblo pequeño en el sur de España. De niña, mi vida era muy diferente. Vivíamos en una casa grande con un jardín enorme. Mi padre era profesor en el colegio del pueblo y mi madre trabajaba en una panadería.

Todos los días, yo iba al colegio a las nueve. En el recreo, jugaba al escondite con mis compañeras de clase. Después del colegio, siempre hacía los deberes y luego iba al jardín a jugar.

Los fines de semana eran mis días favoritos. Mi abuela venía a nuestra casa y cocinaba su famosa tortilla de patatas. Por la tarde, toda la familia veía una película junta. Era una época muy feliz.

1. Where did María grow up?
2. What did María's father do?
3. What did María do during break time at school?
4. What did the grandmother cook at weekends?
5. What did the whole family do on weekend afternoons?

Listening practice

ConversationElementaryElenaCarlos

La infancia de Elena en Bogotá

Elena's Childhood in Bogotá

Tip: If you need help, review the questions first, use the slow speed option, and check the transcript.

0:00 / 0:00

ShowHide Transcript

Show English translations

CarlosElena, tú eres de Bogotá, ¿verdad? ¿Cómo era tu infancia allí?Elena, you're from Bogotá, right? What was your childhood like there?
ElenaSí, vivía en un barrio muy bonito que se llamaba Chapinero. Era un lugar muy tranquilo.Yes, I lived in a very nice neighbourhood called Chapinero. It was a very quiet place.
Carlos¿Y tu familia? ¿Vivíais todos juntos?And your family? Did you all live together?
ElenaSí, vivíamos con mis padres y mis dos hermanas, Lucía y Marta. Mis abuelos vivían cerca.Yes, we lived with my parents and my two sisters, Lucía and Marta. My grandparents lived nearby.
Carlos¿Qué hacíais después del colegio?What did you use to do after school?
ElenaYo siempre jugaba con mis hermanas en el parque. Lucía dibujaba y Marta montaba en bicicleta. Yo trepaba a los árboles.I always used to play with my sisters in the park. Lucía drew and Marta rode her bicycle. I used to climb trees.
Carlos¿Y cómo era tu colegio?And what was your school like?
ElenaEra bastante grande. Tenía un patio enorme donde jugábamos al escondite en el recreo. Mi profesora de español era muy buena - ¡por eso ahora soy profesora de español también!It was quite big. It had an enormous courtyard where we used to play hide-and-seek at break time. My Spanish teacher was very good - that's why I'm a Spanish teacher now too!
Carlos¡Qué bonito! ¿Y los fines de semana?How lovely! And weekends?
ElenaLos domingos íbamos a la casa de mis abuelos. Mi abuela hacía una sopa de ajiaco increíble. Toda la familia comía junta. Eran los mejores días.On Sundays we used to go to my grandparents' house. My grandmother used to make an incredible ajiaco soup. The whole family ate together. They were the best days.

Comprehension questions

Answer all 5 questions based on the conversation.

Question 1
Where did Elena grow up?
Where did Elena grow up?
Question 2
What did Elena use to do after school?
What did Elena use to do after school?
Question 3
What was Elena's school like?
What was Elena's school like?
Question 4
Why did Elena become a Spanish teacher?
Why did Elena become a Spanish teacher?
Question 5
What did Elena's grandmother use to cook on Sundays?
What did Elena's grandmother use to cook on Sundays?

Before your next lesson

Review materials

The Imperfect Tense - Full Grammar Guide

Review lesson vocabulary

Test yourself on this week's vocabulary with interactive flashcards.

Practise this week

Write 5 sentences about what you used to do as a child using the imperfect
Practise conjugating hablar, comer, and vivir in the imperfect for all persons
Write a short paragraph describing your school using era, tenía, and había
Practise the 3 irregular verbs (ser, ir, ver) until you can conjugate them from memory
Use time expressions (de niño/a, siempre, todos los días) in your sentences

Homework

Write a description of your childhood (8-10 sentences) using the imperfect tense. Include at least 2 irregular verbs and 3 time expressions.
Interview a family member or friend about their childhood and write down 5 things they used to do, in Spanish.

Extra practice

Reinforce what you learned this week with these exercises from our site:

1 more practice link

ListeningListening: Recuerdos de la Infancia

Coming Up Next

Next week we'll keep building on the imperfect, focusing on using it for past habits and routines, and how to describe what life used to be like in more detail.

Ready? Start Week 4 now →

Up next · A2.1 Week 4

How Things Used to Be

Start Week 4