Background Description in the Past

Level 2

The imperfect presents a past situation from inside it, often as background.

How It Works

Feia fred and la casa era petita describe what a past setting was like. The imperfect does not present the situation's starting or finishing boundary. It can describe something that lasted briefly or for years; duration alone does not decide the tense.

Use a completed past form for a bounded event that advances the story: feia fred quan vam arribar. The arrival is a whole event, while the cold is the setting in which it occurred. A background action can also be in progress, as in llegia quan vas trucar.

Common forms include parlava, vivia, era, estava and hi havia. An imperfect does not necessarily mean used to; English may translate it with was, was doing or a simple past depending on the context.

Examples (3)

  1. La casa era petita i tenia un jardí.

    The house was small and had a garden.

  2. Plovia quan vam sortir.

    It was raining when we went out.

  3. La Marta llegia al sofà.

    Marta was reading on the sofa.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

Background Description in the PastLevel 2

Learn This First

Separate the event clause from its descriptive setting.

Learn Next

Patterns that build on this one.