In Spanish, we use the imperfect tense to talk about things that happened in the past. This tense helps us describe actions that went on for a while, things we did regularly, and background details.

There are some special words that tell us when to use the imperfect tense. Here are the main ones:

1. Words that Show Time:

• siempre (always)
• a menudo (often)
• frecuentemente (frequently)
• todos los días (every day)
• cada año (every year)
• de vez en cuando (from time to time)

Example:

• Cuando era niño, siempre jugaba al fútbol.
  (When I was a child, I always played soccer.)

2. Descriptions: These words help us describe things, like:

• estaba (was, were)
• era (was, used to be)

Example:

• La casa era grande y amarilla.
  (The house was big and yellow.)

3. Actions Happening Over Time: We use the imperfect tense for actions that were happening. Look for words like:

• mientras (while)
• cuando (when)

Example:

• Mientras ella cocinaba, yo limpiaba la casa.
  (While she was cooking, I was cleaning the house.)

4. Talking About Age and Time: Use this tense when you want to say someone’s age or talk about the time in the past:

• tenía (I was (age))
• eran (it was (time))

Example:

• Cuando tenía diez años, vivía en México.
  (When I was ten years old, I lived in Mexico.)
• Eran las tres de la tarde.
  (It was three in the afternoon.)

In short, knowing these special words can help you know when to use the imperfect tense in Spanish. Try making sentences with these words to get better and speak more smoothly!