The Imperfect Past
The imperfect tells what was happening or what used to happen: Четях, когато той дойде. (I was reading when he came.)
How It Works
1. Three model verbs.
- чета (read): четях, четеше, четеше, четяхме, четяхте, четяха
- ходя (go regularly): ходех, ходеше, ходеше, ходехме, ходехте, ходеха
- чакам (wait): чаках, чакаше, чакаше, чакахме, чакахте, чакаха
Whether a verb takes -ях (like четях) or -ех (like ходех) depends on its stress, so learn the аз form with the verb. Other common verbs: пиша → пишех, мога → можех, живея → живеех, стоя → стоях, стоеше.
2. Background: what was going on. In a story, the imperfect paints the scene, and the aorist reports the events: Валеше сняг, когато излязох. (It was snowing when I went out.) See aorist versus imperfect.
3. Two things at the same time. Докато готвех, децата играеха в двора. (While I was cooking, the children were playing in the yard.)
4. Habits and states. The imperfect also says what used to happen or what was true for a while: Всяко лято ходехме на море. Тя работеше в банка. (She worked at a bank.) See the imperfect for past habits.
5. Do not confuse it with the aorist. The two can look alike: ходих (I went, once) is the aorist, and ходех (I used to go) is the imperfect. In the той form, чете is the aorist (he read, and also the present, he reads), and четеше is the imperfect (he was reading). The past of съм has its own forms: бях, беше.
Examples (6)
- Четях, когато той дойде.
I was reading when he came.
Четях is the background; дойде (aorist) is the event.
- Всяко лято ходехме на море.
Every summer we used to go to the seaside.
- Когато бях малък, живеех в Пловдив.
When I was little, I lived in Plovdiv.
- Валеше сняг и духаше силен вятър.
It was snowing and a strong wind was blowing.
- Докато готвех, децата играеха в двора.
While I was cooking, the children were playing in the yard.
- Тя работеше в банка.
She worked at a bank.
A state that lasted for some time in the past.
Common Mistakes
Using the аз ending with той.
Той ходех на работа пеша.Той ходеше на работа пеша.The той and тя form of the imperfect ends in -ше: ходеше.
Using the aorist for an action that was in progress.
Четох, когато той дойде.Четях, когато той дойде.To say "I was reading" when something else happened, use the imperfect четях. The aorist четох presents the reading as a finished event.
Using the aorist можах for an ability that lasted over time.
Като дете не можах да плувам.Като дете не можех да плувам.Не можех means "I couldn't (for a long time)". Не можах means "I didn't manage to" on one occasion.
How It Connects
Learn This First
The imperfect builds on present-tense forms.
Related Patterns
- The Aorist (Simple Past)
The aorist, which reports events while the imperfect gives the background.
Level 2 - Aorist Versus Imperfect
Compares the two past tenses in stories.
Level 3 - The Imperfect for Past Habits
Focuses on the imperfect for things that used to happen regularly.
Level 3 - бях/бешеPast Tense of Съм
The past of съм, which often appears with the imperfect in descriptions.
Level 2 - когатоWhen Clauses
Когато-clauses often set up the imperfect-versus-aorist contrast.
Level 2 - докатоWhile and Until with Докато
Докато with the imperfect shows two actions going on at the same time.
Level 3
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
- щях да + VerbThe Future in the PastLevel 3
- Adverbial Participle in -йкиThe Adverbial ParticipleLevel 4
- The Imperfect -л ParticipleThe Imperfect Л-ParticipleLevel 4
- Present Active Participle in -щThe Present Active ParticipleLevel 4
- следва да + VerbFormal Obligation with Следва ДаLevel 5
- стига даProvided ThatLevel 5
Practice The Imperfect Past in Bubblegum
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