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Using the imperfect tense for descriptions Exercises in Galician language

Students sharing insights on language idioms at library.

The imperfect tense in Galician is a vital tool for conveying past actions and states that were ongoing, habitual, or descriptive in nature. This tense allows speakers to paint a vivid picture of past circumstances, setting the scene with rich details and conveying the essence of how things used to be. Understanding and mastering the imperfect tense is essential for anyone looking to achieve fluency in Galician, as it is frequently used in both spoken and written narratives to provide context and depth. In these exercises, you will practice using the imperfect tense to describe past events, people, and settings in Galician. By engaging with a variety of scenarios and sentence structures, you will develop a stronger grasp of how to apply this tense correctly and effectively. Whether you are recounting childhood memories, narrating historical events, or simply describing what the weather was like yesterday, these exercises will help you enhance your descriptive language skills and improve your overall proficiency in Galician.

Exercise 1

1. A casa *era* moi antiga (verb for describing a state). 2. Cando eu *era* pequeno, tiña un can (verb for describing a past state). 3. O ceo *estaba* cheo de estrelas (verb for describing a condition). 4. Os meus avós *vivían* nunha vila pequena (verb for describing a past habit). 5. De neno, sempre *xogaba* no parque (verb for describing a repeated action). 6. A miña irmá *lía* moitos libros de aventuras (verb for describing a past habit). 7. As rúas *estaban* desertas pola noite (verb for describing a condition). 8. Na escola, os profesores *eran* moi amables (verb for describing a characteristic). 9. Antes, a miña familia *ceaba* ás oito (verb for describing a past routine). 10. O coche *era* de cor vermella (verb for describing a characteristic).

Exercise 2

1. O ceo *estaba* cheo de estrelas (verb for description). 2. A casa *era* moi grande e antiga (verb for permanent characteristics). 3. Os nenos *xogaban* no parque todos os días (verb for habitual action). 4. O vento *sopraba* forte durante a noite (verb for continuous action). 5. A muller *levaba* un vestido vermello (verb for wearing). 6. O coche *parecía* novo pero era vello (verb for appearance). 7. As flores *tiñan* cores vivas (verb for possession or characteristics). 8. Nós *comiamos* xuntos cada domingo (verb for habitual action). 9. A súa voz *soaba* doce e calma (verb for sound). 10. O gato *durmía* no sofá todo o día (verb for continuous action).

Exercise 3

1. Cando *éramos* nenos, sempre xogabamos no parque (imperfect tense of "to be" for "we"). 2. A casa *era* moi antiga e tiña moitos cuartos (imperfect tense of "to be" for "it"). 3. O coche *parecía* novo pero tiña moitos anos (imperfect tense of "to seem" for "it"). 4. Cada verán *viaxabamos* á praia con toda a familia (imperfect tense of "to travel" for "we"). 5. O xardín *estaba* sempre cheo de flores de todas as cores (imperfect tense of "to be" for "it"). 6. Os meus avós *vivían* nunha pequena vila no campo (imperfect tense of "to live" for "they"). 7. As noites de inverno *eran* frías e escuras (imperfect tense of "to be" for "they"). 8. De pequeno, sempre *quería* ser astronauta (imperfect tense of "to want" for "I"). 9. A miña avoa *cociñaba* sempre pratos deliciosos (imperfect tense of "to cook" for "she"). 10. Naqueles tempos, a xente *traballaba* moitas horas ao día (imperfect tense of "to work" for "they").