LESSON TRANSCRIPT

Verb Conjugation #24

The Imperfect Tense: Recap

CONTENTS
2 INTRODUCTION
2 LESSON FOCUS
17 OUTRO

# 24
COPYRIGHT © 2015 INNOVATIVE LANGUAGE LEARNING. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
 INTRODUCTION

Dylan: Bienvenidos a SpanishPod101.com.

Dylan: Hola, hola, soy Dylan.

Carlos: Carlos here. Verb Conjugation Series #24 – “The Imperfect Tense – Recap”

Dylan: Hey, everybody. Thanks for coming. This is Dylan.

Carlos: What’s the good word, pod101 world?

Dylan: Welcome to another edition of the Verb Conjugation Series coming to you on
demand from Spanishpod101.com.

Carlos: Plug in those headphones, turn up the volume, download the PDF and get
ready to learn all you need to know about how to conjugate verbs in Spanish.

Dylan: And how to use them, as well.

Carlos: Dylan, today we have a recap lesson. We made it through our second set of
conjugations. The Imperfect seems so much clear, right now.

Dylan: So, we’re going back through which lessons exactly?

LESSON FOCUS

Carlos: We’re going to look back at lessons 20, 21, 22 and 23 to make sure that we
have got a clear picture of how the Imperfect Tense of the Indicative Mood is used and
formed.

S PANI S HPOD101.COM VERB CONJUGAT I ON #24 - T HE I MPERFECT T ENS E: RECAP 2

Dylan: Me parece muy bien Carlitos, vamos a hacer un repaso.

Carlos: Así es, un repaso.

Dylan: Now, even though we’re going to recap what we’ve been looking at, I think we
should still cover the formation of more verbs in the Imperfect Tense.

Carlos: No doubt. Did you have any particular verbs in mind?

Dylan: Claro.

Carlos: ¿Y cuáles son?

Dylan: They are “trabajar”, “comer” y “comprender”.

Carlos: Okay, ok. So, that’s “trabajar” – “to work”, “comer” – “to eat” and “comprender”
– “to understand”.

Dylan: Hey, man. Your vocabulary is pretty good.

Carlos: Thanks, thanks.

Dylan: Now, you just have to learn how to use it.

Carlos: Well, that’s why I have the PDF for this and all of the lesson that I studied at
Spanishpod101.com.

Dylan: I would think the PDFs would help.

Carlos: They do because listening the lessons is good, but you know what? It’s only
one thing. To learn a language, you need so much more.

S PANI S HPOD101.COM VERB CONJUGAT I ON #24 - T HE I MPERFECT T ENS E: RECAP 3

Dylan: Entonces, amiguito Carlos, ¿qué es lo que estudiamos en la lección 20? . What
did we look at in lesson 20?

Carlos: Oh, Lesson 20, we looked at the Imperfect Tense – Past durations.

Dylan: ¿Y qué más?

Carlos: What else?

Dylan: Well, thanks for the title of the lesson, but what exactly does that mean?

Carlos: Oh, we never know the starting point or the ending point of the action.

Dylan: Okay. So, what comes across?

Carlos: Duration thus Imperfect Tense – Past durations.

Dylan: Nicely done.

Carlos: Thank you, thank you.

Dylan: Well, how about an example?

Carlos: An example you say. “Hablaba por teléfono”.

Dylan: Which means?

Carlos: “I was talking on the phone.”

Dylan: Sí. So, we don’t know the starting or ending point of your conversation, we don’t

S PANI S HPOD101.COM VERB CONJUGAT I ON #24 - T HE I MPERFECT T ENS E: RECAP 4

know how long you were talking, so what comes across?

Carlos: Well, once again, that would be a sense of duration, profe.

Dylan: Excellent. How about if I wanted to say “Yesterday I was cleaning my room.”?

Carlos: “Ayer arreglaba mi cuarto”.

Dylan: Nice. So, what do these examples have in common?

Carlos: Well, we know that they happen in the past, just not for how long.

Dylan: I think working on this series is benefiting you, Carlos.

Carlos: Dylan, how could it not?

Dylan: Nice. So, after that? In Lesson 21 we looked at how the Imperfect Tense of the
Indicative Mood can be used to express courtesy.

Carlos: How could I forget?

Dylan: Well, you’ve obviously forgotten your lesson in manners.

Carlos: Madame, we’re talking about that way in one year and out the other.

Dylan: So, Carlos, I have a question for you.

Carlos: Shoot.

Dylan: Why is the Imperfect Tense used to express courtesy?

S PANI S HPOD101.COM VERB CONJUGAT I ON #24 - T HE I MPERFECT T ENS E: RECAP 5

Carlos: Well, if I remember correctly, it kind of seems more polite than it does in the
Present.

Dylan: Do you remember the example that I gave?

Carlos: Yes, the one with the restaurant, right?

Dylan: Yes, that’s one.

Carlos: ¿Qué deseaba usted?

Dylan: What does that mean?

Carlos: “What would you care for, Sir?”

Dylan: Now, doesn’t that seem more polite?

Carlos: Yes, I know it does it thus I have to say you’re right.

Dylan: Okay. So, in Lesson 22, we saw that the Imperfect with Conditionals.

Carlos: Okay, that one’s a little shaky, too.

Dylan: Okay. This one is not bad.

Carlos: Like, just to recap, what do you mean when you say with Conditionals?

Dylan: Well, we’re really talking about Conditional statements. Like, where the outcome
of an action is depended of that of another.

S PANI S HPOD101.COM VERB CONJUGAT I ON #24 - T HE I MPERFECT T ENS E: RECAP 6

Carlos: All right, all right. It’s getting clearer. The rain is leaving, it’s almost gone. But
look, in order to remember this, I have to forget something else. So, maybe an
example will help.

Dylan: “¿Deseaba una bebida?” With Conditionals, it’s like saying “Did you want a
drink?”

Carlos: Instead of, instead of?

Dylan: “¿Desearía una bebida?” – “Would you like a drink?”

Carlos: Okay, I get what you’re saying, but I have to admit that I think I’ll need to brush
up on the Conditional statements by listening the Lower Intermediate Lessons 1 to 4.
And also David and Megan’s Iberian Lessons #25.

Dylan: Carlos, if you can remember all those lessons and where they appeared, why
can’t you remember how it’s used?

Carlos: That’s very simple. The Grammar Bank in the Learning Center has a list of all
the lessons that doubt with this topic. Now, just because I know which lessons doubt
with it, did it mean I like, really riding to the depth and like paying attention to it, really.

Dylan: All right. So, check out the Grammar Bank as well. I know how at home you
aren’t there.

Carlos: No, I am, I am, you got it. I am. I love to study it more, I didn’t know it, but it’s
just something that I never understand. But, I knew I was going to record today with
you, so I waited for with the question.

Dylan: All right. So, do you remember our last lesson?

Carlos: Of course. We had the courtesy between the Imperfect and the Preterit Tense.

S PANI S HPOD101.COM VERB CONJUGAT I ON #24 - T HE I MPERFECT T ENS E: RECAP 7

Dylan: Do you remember the difference?

Carlos: Well, I remember the main similarity.

Dylan: Which is?

Carlos: Well the Imperfect and the Preterit Tenses both express different ways of
looking at past actions or events.

Dylan: Good. So, they’re both dealing with the past, but how do they differ?

Carlos: Okay, mainly as we’ve said, the Imperfect designates an action as going on in
the past. But, without any reference towards beginning or end.

Dylan: I’ll take the explanation.

Carlos: Thanks.

Dylan: And the Preterit?

Carlos: Well, the Preterit is different all together. The Preterit Tense designates an
action as completed in the past, right?

Dylan: That’s right.

Carlos: Now, I had the difference, but how about some examples, so let’s move from
theory to action.

Dylan: Okay. So, Imperfect. “Cuando estaba en la universidad, estudiaba chino”.

Carlos: Okay, so in English that would be “When I was at the university, I studied
Chinese.”?

S PANI S HPOD101.COM VERB CONJUGAT I ON #24 - T HE I MPERFECT T ENS E: RECAP 8

Dylan: We could say that in another way in English.

Carlos: “When I was at the university, I used to study Chinese.”?

Dylan: Right. So, we don’t know how long you were in the university, could’ve been
four or in your case, Carlos, eight.

Carlos: I really, really liked college.

Dylan: So, here’s an example with the same subject, but in the Preterit Tense.

Carlos: All right. Tell me.

Dylan: “Ayer estudié chino”.

Carlos: “Yesterday I studied Chinese.”

Dylan: So, here we know that I studied Chinese yesterday.

Carlos: Exactly. The action was completed yesterday.

Dylan: That’s the Preterit.

Carlos: You know, I think I got the difference, so I think these differences were worth
me spending a little time on it.

Dylan: That’s right, Carlos. Spend a little time and you’ll pay off at the end.
Prosigamos con la formación verbal.

Carlos: That’s right. Time to look at how to form verbs in the Imperfect. First, we
learned how the language works, and now how to make it work for us.

S PANI S HPOD101.COM VERB CONJUGAT I ON #24 - T HE I MPERFECT T ENS E: RECAP 9

Dylan: First up, the verb “trabajar” – “to work”.

Carlos: I’m ready when you are.

Dylan: So, just a couple of minor points to make here. Carlos, is “trabajar” a regular or
irregular verb?

Carlos: Regular.

Dylan: Right. So, in forming the Imperfect Tense of the Indicative Mood for regular “ar”
verbs, what are “ar” endings?

Carlos: “-aba”, “-abas”, “-aba”, “-ábamos”, “-abais”, “-aban”.

Dylan: Ready for “trabajar”?

Carlos: ¡Vamos!

Dylan: “Trabajar”.

Carlos: “To work.”

Dylan: “Yo trabajaba”.

Carlos: “I was working.”

Dylan: “Tú trabajarías”.

Carlos: “You were working.”

S PANI S HPOD101.COM VERB CONJUGAT I ON #24 - T HE I MPERFECT T ENS E: RECAP 10

Dylan: “Él trabajaba”.

Carlos: “He was working.”

Dylan: “Nosotros trabajábamos”.

Carlos: “We were working.”

Dylan: “Vosotros trabajabais”.

Carlos: “You all were working.”

Dylan: “Ellos trabajaban”.

Carlos: “They were working.” How about some examples with “trabajar” in the Imperfect
Tense?

Dylan: “Yo trabajaba en el centro”. – “I used to work downtown.”

Carlos: You know, I pity anybody who works in downtown San José, I mean it’s taking
like half of hour to get here and I live up the street. And that’s a go. It’s amazing.

Dylan: Yes, San José can be rough, but it’s also a nice, colorful city. If you go to the
right neighborhoods.

Carlos: Is it that how you call it? Colorful?

Dylan: Hey.

Carlos: I’m just talking about downtown, I’m not talking about like Escazú and like over
there, you know.

S PANI S HPOD101.COM VERB CONJUGAT I ON #24 - T HE I MPERFECT T ENS E: RECAP 11

Dylan: Leave my Chepe Centro alone.

Carlos: I will. I noticed that when you say that, the taxi driver is give you a cheaper. All
right. How about another example?

Dylan: All right. Here goes. “Ella trabajaba con mi tío”.

Carlos: It’s not what you know, it’s who you know.

Dylan: “She used to work with my uncle.” “Ustedes trabajaban duro hasta que
terminaron el proyecto” – “You all were working hard until you finished the project.”

Carlos: That’s right. We always work hard here at Spanishpod101.com because we’re
very, very, very loyal to this project. Right, Dylan?

Dylan: Right.

Carlos: You know what? I think I got it. Now, what’s the deal with the verb “comer”?

Dylan: Another regular “er” verb.

Carlos: Nice.

Dylan: Yes.

Carlos: Well, let’s see those forms then.

Dylan: All right. Here goes. “Comer”.

Carlos: “To eat.”

S PANI S HPOD101.COM VERB CONJUGAT I ON #24 - T HE I MPERFECT T ENS E: RECAP 12

Dylan: “Yo comía”.

Carlos: “I was eating.”

Dylan: “Tú comías”.

Carlos: “You were eating.”

Dylan: “Él comía”.

Carlos: “He was eating.”

Dylan: “Nosotros comíamos”.

Carlos: “We were eating.”

Dylan: “Vosotros comíais”.

Carlos: “You all were eating.”

Dylan: “Ellos comían”.

Carlos: “They were eating.” You know, Dylan, can we have a few examples of the verb
“comer” in the Imperfect Tense?

Dylan: Of course. “Comíamos mucho, cuando yo era joven” – “We used to eat a lot
when I was young.”

Carlos: Me too. I was , let me tell you. I was little chubby boy.

S PANI S HPOD101.COM VERB CONJUGAT I ON #24 - T HE I MPERFECT T ENS E: RECAP 13

Dylan: I can tell.

Carlos: All right.

Dylan: That’s scary.

Carlos: That’s true. I got a little you know what I’m saying, it’s alright.

Dylan: “Ellos comían sopa cuando llegaron sus amigos”. – “They were eating soup
when their friends arrived.”

Carlos: Okay, I have nothing to say about that one.

Dylan: Maybe “olla de carne”. That would be so good on a rainy day.

Carlos: What? A part of me?

Dylan: And vegetables, and roots.

Carlos: No, but it means part of me, and I wanted this whole big thing with Naty in the
Costa Rica Series, like, like very creative part of me.

Dylan: Yes. “Olla de carne”, you’re right.

Carlos: Truth.

Dylan: You’re right.

Carlos: Okay.

S PANI S HPOD101.COM VERB CONJUGAT I ON #24 - T HE I MPERFECT T ENS E: RECAP 14

Dylan: Okay. “Yo comía mucha grasa, pero ya cambié mi dieta”. – “I used to eat a lot
of fat, but now I changed my diet.”

Carlos: So, then you have a tasteless diet that really doesn’t taste good at all?

Dylan: Hey. Olive oil versus that all fatty stuff.

Carlos: Like what? Lard?

Dylan: Yes. Lard.

Carlos: Want some lard? No, sorry. I don’t understand why. So, wait, just one more for
today.

Dylan: “Comprender”.

Carlos: “To understand.” So, what do I need to know about this one?

Dylan: No stem change, it’s a regular verb.

Carlos: Nice. You know what? I really like the regular verbs, I really do like them.

Dylan: Okay. Well, let’s go with this one. “Comprender”.

Carlos: “To understand.”

Dylan: “Yo comprendía”.

Carlos: “I used to understand.”

S PANI S HPOD101.COM VERB CONJUGAT I ON #24 - T HE I MPERFECT T ENS E: RECAP 15

Dylan: “Tú comprendías”.

Carlos: “You used to understand.”

Dylan: “Él comprendía”.

Carlos: “He used to understand.”

Dylan: “Nosotros comprendíamos”.

Carlos: “We used to understand.”

Dylan: “Vosotros comprendíais”.

Carlos: “You all used to understand.”

Dylan: “Ellos comprendían”.

Carlos: “They used to understand” And, you know what? To finish this off, let’s put the
verb “comprender” in context with some examples of it in the Imperfect Tense.

Dylan: “No comprendíamos las lecciones”. – “We were not understanding the lessons.”

Carlos: Until we downloaded the PDF in the Learning Center at Spanishpod101.com

and listen to us on repeat as I’ll driving in my car.

Dylan: Así es. All right. Here’s another one. “Yo comprendía el inglés, pero no podía
hablarlo”. – “I used to understand English, but I wasn’t able to speak it.”

Carlos: You know, that’s a very common, common excuse when people are learning
languages.

S PANI S HPOD101.COM VERB CONJUGAT I ON #24 - T HE I MPERFECT T ENS E: RECAP 16

Dylan: Yes.

Carlos: Like, I know a lot of people in my family, like “You speak Spanish? I
understand, but don’t know how to speak.”

Dylan: It’s like they’re shy.

Carlos: It’s like they don’t understand, they’re just like “I don’t know how to speak.”

Dylan: No, it’s shy, people are shy to make a mistake.

Carlos: Yes, it’s true.

OUTRO

Dylan: I think that’s what it is. All right. “¿Ustedes comprendían lo que decía mi
abuela?” – “Did you all used to understand what my grandmother would say?”

Carlos: Not at all. And I will just smile and not. Especially when she was telling about
that saying about where two eat, three eat. What does that mean? I mean like “sí”, I
just smile and “sí”. That’s right. What is that mean? Woman, I have no idea.

Dylan: How do you think we did on our second recap, Carlos?

Carlos: I think we’re going to hang this, Dylan.

Dylan: I agree. You just keep feeding the Grammar Bank.

Carlos: Every day.

Dylan: So, what if I don’t have access to the Learning Center?

S PANI S HPOD101.COM VERB CONJUGAT I ON #24 - T HE I MPERFECT T ENS E: RECAP 17

Carlos: Well, if you don’t already, you can try that on us for seven days. Free. You
know, really, there’s no possible excuse.

Dylan: No, there’s not. Bueno, entonces, ¡hasta luego audience!

Carlos: I love the spanglish!

S PANI S HPOD101.COM VERB CONJUGAT I ON #24 - T HE I MPERFECT T ENS E: RECAP 18