Key learning points

1. We can create nouns in Spanish by adding -idad to singular adjectives ending in a consonant. E.g. real to realidad.
2. The singular forms of 'estar' in the imperfect tense are 'estaba' (I was or he, she, was) and 'estabas' (you were).
3. To talk about ongoing events in the past we use 'estar' in the imperfect tense with a present participle.
4. The preterite is used for completed actions, remove the -ar verb ending and add -é (I), -aste (you) or -ó (he, she, it).
5. We can combine these two tenses to describe events in the past: 'Estaba escuchando la radio cuando noté un olor raro.'

Keywords

• Imperfect continuous - verb tense used to talk about ongoing actions in the past, what 'was happening'

• Estaba - I was/he, she, it was

• Estabas - you (singular) were

Common misconception