Common Imperfect Forms of Core Verbs

Level 2

Era, estava and hi havia express different kinds of past background.

How It Works

Era is the imperfect of ser: era professora, era una tarda freda. Estava is the imperfect of estar: estava cansada, estava llegint. Hi havia introduces something present in the past scene: hi havia una taula al mig.

Ser has era, eres, era, érem, éreu and eren. Estar follows estava, estaves, estava, estàvem, estàveu and estaven. In the shared formal existential model, use hi havia with singular and plural noun phrases.

Choose the construction before choosing its tense. Les claus eren al calaix locates known keys; al calaix hi havia unes claus introduces some keys. These are alternative ways of presenting information, not a rule that any reference to the past requires the same verb.

Examples (3)

  1. Érem a la biblioteca.

    We were at the library.

  2. Els nens estaven cansats.

    The children were tired.

  3. Hi havia dues finestres a la sala.

    There were two windows in the room.

How It Connects

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Common Imperfect Forms of Core VerbsLevel 2

Learn This First

Recognize ser meanings. Recognize estar meanings. Recognize existence with haver-hi.

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Patterns that build on this one.

Words in This Pattern

haver-hi