DELE A2 Imperfect: Practice Test & Review
The imperfect is the past tense you use for descriptions, habits, and ongoing actions. It answers the question “what was happening?” or “what used to happen?” It is the counterpart to the preterite, and the contrast between the two is the hardest part of A2 grammar.
This page gives you a five-part practice quiz: an evaluation set to see where you stand, three practice sets to drill the forms and uses, and a challenge set to confirm mastery. If you get stuck, scroll down for the full explanation. Ready? Start with the evaluation set below.
Grammar Guide
The Rule
The imperfect describes past actions that were ongoing, habitual, or incomplete. It answers the question “what was happening?” or “what used to happen?” It does not focus on the beginning or end of the action.
Cuando era niño, jugaba en el parque = When I was a child, I used to play in the park (habit).
Mientras estudiaba, sonó el teléfono = While I was studying, the phone rang (ongoing action interrupted).
The imperfect is the “background” tense. The preterite is the “event” tense.
-ar Verbs
| Subject | Hablar | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| Yo | hablaba | I used to speak |
| Tú | hablabas | You used to speak |
| Él / Ella / Usted | hablaba | He / She / You used to speak |
| Nosotros | hablábamos | We used to speak |
| Vosotros | hablabais | You used to speak |
| Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes | hablaban | They / You used to speak |
The -ar imperfect endings: -aba, -abas, -aba, -ábamos, -abais, -aban. Only the nosotros form carries an accent.
-er and -ir Verbs
| Subject | Comer | Vivir |
|---|---|---|
| Yo | comía | vivía |
| Tú | comías | vivías |
| Él / Ella / Usted | comía | vivía |
| Nosotros | comíamos | vivíamos |
| Vosotros | comíais | vivíais |
| Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes | comían | vivían |
The -er and -ir imperfect endings are identical: -ía, -ías, -ía, -íamos, -íais, -ían. All forms carry an accent on the í.
The Three Irregular Verbs
Only three verbs are irregular in the imperfect.
| Verb | Yo | Tú | Él | Nosotros | Ellos |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ser | era | eras | era | éramos | eran |
| ir | iba | ibas | iba | íbamos | iban |
| ver | veía | veías | veía | veíamos | veían |
These three must be memorized. Everything else is regular.
When to Use the Imperfect
| Use | Example | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| Habitual past actions | Todos los días iba al parque. | Every day I used to go to the park. |
| Descriptions in the past | La casa era grande. | The house was big. |
| Age in the past | Tenía diez años. | I was ten years old. |
| Time in the past | Eran las tres. | It was three o’clock. |
| Ongoing actions | Mientras leía, sonó el teléfono. | While I was reading, the phone rang. |
| Mental and emotional states | Quería ir contigo. | I wanted to go with you. |
| Weather in the past | Llovía mucho. | It was raining a lot. |
Time Markers for the Imperfect
| Marker | Meaning |
|---|---|
| antes | before, previously |
| cuando era niño | when I was a child |
| todos los días | every day |
| siempre | always |
| a menudo | often |
| mientras | while |
| de niño / de pequeña | as a child |
| los veranos | in the summers |
| cada semana | every week |
These markers signal habitual or ongoing actions. They force the imperfect.
Imperfect vs. Preterite
| Imperfect | Preterite |
|---|---|
| Habitual action | Completed action |
| Description | Event |
| Ongoing action | Interrupting action |
| Background | Foreground |
| “used to” | “happened” |
Cuando era niño, jugaba al fútbol = When I was a child, I used to play soccer (habit).
Ayer jugué al fútbol = Yesterday I played soccer (completed event).
Common Mistakes
- Using the preterite for a habitual past action.
✗ Cuando era niño, jugué mucho.
✓ Cuando era niño, jugaba mucho.
“Cuando era niño” signals a habit, not a single event. - Forgetting the accent on -er/-ir forms.
✗ Yo comia.
✓ Yo comía.
All -er/-ir imperfect forms carry an accent on the í. - Using the regular form for ser, ir, or ver.
✗ Yo sería (imperfect of ser — wrong; this is conditional)
✓ Yo era
Ser is irregular in the imperfect. - Using the imperfect for a completed action.
✗ Ayer comía paella. (if you mean “I ate it once”)
✓ Ayer comí paella.
Ayer with a completed action requires the preterite.
Quick Decision Chart
| Ask yourself | Answer | Tense |
|---|---|---|
| Is it a habit in the past (“used to”)? | Yes | Imperfect |
| Is it a description? | Yes | Imperfect |
| Is it an ongoing action interrupted by another? | Yes | Imperfect |
| Is it age, time, or weather in the past? | Yes | Imperfect |
| Is it a completed action? | Yes | Preterite |
| Is there a specific time marker (ayer, el lunes)? | Yes | Preterite |
| Is the verb ser, ir, or ver? | Yes | Irregular in the imperfect |
Two Sentences That Show the Difference
Cuando era niño, jugaba al fútbol.
When I was a child, I used to play soccer.
- Habit in the past (imperfect).
Ayer jugué al fútbol.
Yesterday I played soccer.
- Completed action (preterite).
Mientras estudiaba, sonó el teléfono.
While I was studying, the phone rang.
- Ongoing action (imperfect) interrupted by an event (preterite).
Antes vivía en Madrid.
I used to live in Madrid.
- Habitual past state (imperfect).
Viví en Madrid dos años.
I lived in Madrid for two years.
- Completed duration (preterite).
