Status verbs: usually in the imperfect.
Some verbs express action (run, study, eat); others express states (want, have, can). In the narration of a past event, verbs describing states or ongoing condition are usually conjugated in the imperfect tense.
Examples:
- Rolando; sabias la respuesta de la cuarta preguanta?
- Sabia una parte pero no todo.
- Que querias hacer?
- Queria ir al cine.
- Por que no podia sir?
- Porque no tenia dinero.
| State verbs : when used in preterit, change of meaning of the verb in English.When Spanish speakers use state verbs in the preterit , they usually do so to convey that the state came to anEnd. English speakers often use completely different verbs to express that meaning . Examples:-Supiste lo que les paso a Laura ? Did you find out/hear what happened to Laura ?
-No, no supe nada. Que les paso ? No, I didn’t hear anything. What happened to her ?
-Por que no pudiste terminar ? Why didn’t try to finish as I became very tired. |
| Compare the English equivalents of the following “State verbs” in the imperfect and the preterit |
| Imperfect | Preterit | |||
| Saber | Sabia | - I Knew | Supe | - I Found Out |
| No sabia | - I didn’t know | No supe | - I never knew | |
| Conocer | Conocia | - I was acquainted with | Conoci | - I met |
| Tener | Tenia | - I had | Tuve | - I had/ I received |
| Querer | Queria | - I wanted | Quise | - I wanted (and tried) |
| No Queria | -I didn’t want | No Quise | - I refused (didn’t try) | |
| Poder | podia | - I was able/ I could | Pude | - I could (and I did) |
| No podia | - I wasn’t able/ I couldn’t | No pude | - I (tried and) couldn’t |
Ser & estar
The verbs ser & estar are usually used in the imperfect; they are used in the preterit only when the state has explicitly come to an end within a specified amount of time.
Examples : Cuanto tiempo fuiste profesora en esa escuela ?
Estuvimos cino dias en San Blas.