What is the difference between imperfect and past tense? Is imperfect something you did only once, or multiple times in the past? Thanks for clearing this up.
Imperfect (Latin: imperfectum): describes actions continuing in the past:
The slave used to carry (or was carrying) the wine jar home.
Servus vinum ad villam portabat.
The difference between the imperfect tense and the past tense lies in how actions are expressed in the past. The past tense refers to actions that happened and were completed in the past, while the imperfect tense is used to describe ongoing or repeated actions in the past.
To clarify, the past tense typically describes a single, specific action that took place at a particular point in the past. For example, "I ate breakfast this morning" or "She studied for the test yesterday." These actions are seen as finished or completed events.
On the other hand, the imperfect tense describes actions that happened repeatedly in the past, actions that were ongoing, or situations that existed in the past. It is often used to set the scene, describe background information, or provide context.
For instance, consider the sentence "When I was a child, I used to play soccer every weekend." Here, the imperfect tense (used to play) conveys an action or habit that was repeated regularly in the past.
In summary, the past tense refers to a specific action completed in the past, while the imperfect tense expresses ongoing or repeated actions in the past.