ir imperfect tense conjugation
Ir (to go) in the imperfect tense: iba, ibas, iba, íbamos, ibais, iban.
Pretérito imperfecto Imperfect
| yo | regular: ía |
|---|---|
| tú | regular: ías |
| él/ella/usted | regular: ía |
| nosotros | regular: íamos |
| vosotros | regular: íais |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | regular: ían |
ending regular · irr breaks the pattern · tap a form to hear it
When to use the imperfect tense
The imperfect (pretérito imperfecto) describes the past as background: habits (“used to”), ongoing actions (“was doing”), descriptions, age and time. “Cuando era niño, vivía en Sevilla.”
How it is formed
Regular endings: -ar → aba, abas, aba, ábamos, abais, aban; -er/-ir → ía, ías, ía, íamos, íais, ían. Only three verbs are irregular in the imperfect: ser (era), ir (iba) and ver (veía).
Ir is irregular here. 6 of 6 forms break the pattern (dark tiles above); the regular pattern would give ía, ías, ía, íamos, íais, ían.
Read more: Preterite vs imperfect: when to use each
Ir in a sentence
- Voy al mercado ahora.I'm going to the market now.
- Fuimos al cine anoche.We went to the movies last night.
Highly irregular; preterite shares forms with 'ser'; used with 'a' + infinitive for future plans.
FAQ
What is the imperfect tense of ir?
Ir in the Spanish imperfect tense: yo iba, tú ibas, él/ella/usted iba, nosotros íbamos, vosotros ibais, ellos/ellas/ustedes iban.
Is ir irregular in the imperfect tense?
Yes. 6 of 6 forms break the regular pattern: yo iba (regular would be ía); tú ibas (regular would be ías); él/ella/usted iba (regular would be ía); nosotros íbamos (regular would be íamos); vosotros ibais (regular would be íais); ellos/ellas/ustedes iban (regular would be ían).
When do you use the Spanish imperfect tense?
The imperfect (pretérito imperfecto) describes the past as background: habits (“used to”), ongoing actions (“was doing”), descriptions, age and time. “Cuando era niño, vivía en Sevilla.”
How is the imperfect tense formed?
Regular endings: -ar → aba, abas, aba, ábamos, abais, aban; -er/-ir → ía, ías, ía, íamos, íais, ían. Only three verbs are irregular in the imperfect: ser (era), ir (iba) and ver (veía).