IMPERFECT TENSE, ACTIVE

The imperfect tense, like the present, is formed by dropping the -re from the second principal part of the verb, Third conjugation verbs pose no problem here, but be careful with fourth conjugation (see below for notes).

     The imperfect is a past tense, showing action over a period of time in the past. Think of the imperfect as a video you are watching, with action taking place. Perfect tense, on the other hand, is one time action, which is best visualised as a photograph, showing one act.

    MEMORY TRICK- Think of imperfect as the sheep tense, because it has the "ba" in the ending.

FIRST CONJUGATION

amo  amare  amavi  amatus

amabam - I was loving        amabamus - we were loving

amabas - you were loving    amabatis - y'all were loving

amabat - he was loving        amabant - they were loving

SECOND CONJUGATION

habeo  habere  habui  habitus

habebam                                    habebamus

habebas                                      habebatis

habebat                                       habebant

THIRD CONJUGATION

pono  ponere  posui  positus

ponebam                                    ponebamus

ponebas                                      ponebatis

ponebat                                       ponebant

Note the short -e is retained in third conjugation imperfect.

FOURTH CONJUGATION

audio  audire  audivi  auditus

audiebam                                    audiebamus

audiebas                                      audiebatis

audiebat                                        audiebant

Note the addition of the -e before the ending in all forms. this is true for ALL fourth conjugation verbs. Third -io verbs (capio, capere and facio, facere) conjugate like fourth conjugation:

capiebam        capiebamus

capiebas        capiebatis

capiebat        capiebant