Hello everyone and welcome back!
As you may have already understood, what unites
the three sentences I just said is the presence of the imperfect.
But what is the imperfect?
In this video we will study it together and at the end
I will also make you a very short test to verify learning.
First of all, the imperfect belongs to the indicative mode, it
is a simple tense, that is, it is made up of a single word.
Let's start immediately by seeing the endings to be
added to the verbal stem to form the imperfect.
The endings to be added vary according to the
conjugation to which the verb belongs, but they are all very similar.
For example, the verb to speak in the imperfect becomes:
I spoke, you spoke, he / she spoke, we spoke, you spoke, they spoke.
But when is the imperfect used?
The imperfect indicates an action or state in the past that repeats itself, or has a duration.
Let's see what a fact or action that repeats itself in the past means.
Let's take the example: When I was at the beach I used to go to the beach every day.
Going to the beach, in this case, is an action that is repeated in the past,
because I went to the beach every day.
The second case is a fact or action that has a duration in the past:
While Paolo was playing tennis he wore a red shirt.
In this case "he played" and "wore" are actions that have a duration in the past.
A tennis match can last an hour or even two,
so it's an action that lasts in the past.
It would be different if I said: Paolo threw the ball into the goal.
Or: Paolo threw the ball into the goal.
In this case the action is punctual, that is, it occurs at a certain moment in the past.
The action of shooting on goal is a very short action, in this case then the present
past or the distant past are used, times that we will certainly see in the next elections.
The imperfect is also the time of descriptions in the past.
Sunday was a wonderful day, the sky was an intense blue color.
A light breeze caressed the lake water which reflected the trees like a mirror.
Notice how all the verbs of this description are conjugated in the imperfect.
So if you have to describe something in the past remember to use this tense.
Finally, the imperfect can be used to express a polite request in the present.
Imagine having to speak to Mr. Rossi.
You meet her secretary and tell her: "Excuse me, I was looking for Mr. Rossi."
She will then answer you: "Of course, I'll notify you right away!"
Or imagine you are visiting a museum and need to go to the bathroom.
Stop an employee and say, "Excuse me, I was looking for a bathroom."
He will then answer you: "Sure, at the end of the corridor on the right."
Here, then, if you have to ask for something remember to use
the imperfect, so as to do it in a courteous way.
So if you have followed carefully, you should have no problem completing
these three sentences by conjugating the verbs in the imperfect tense and explaining why
this tense is used in each of the three situations.
As children we ... basketball.
Here you have to insert the verb to play.
The sea ... calm and the sun ... in the sky.
Here we need to insert the verbs to be and to shine.
The third sentence: "Excuse me ... a pen."
Here you have to insert the verb to search.
Now you can pause the video to take your time to complete the sentences.
How did it go?
Now I give you the solutions.
Sentence number one: As children we played basketball.
In this case the imperfect must be used because it is
an action that is repeated in the past, a habitual action, a habit.
Second sentence: The sea was calm and the sun was shining in the sky.
In this case the imperfect should be used because it is a description in the past.
Third sentence: "Excuse me ... I was looking for a pen."
In this case, the imperfect is clearly used because it is a polite request.
Even today we have concluded our lesson.
I hope you enjoyed it and above all it was useful to you.
I really hope you are clear now when to use this tense.
In the next lessons we will also study the other tenses used for actions or states in the past.
Have a good week and see you soon!