Tenses of Spanish Verbs?

Question

I am not interested in learning how to make a verb past tense/future/ect. but I would like to know what each tense is. For example, what is imperefect tense. Could someone who speaks Spanish please tell me all of the tenses and what they mean? Thanks.

Answer 1

Think of the verb cantar - to sing:

Present - I sing
Inperfect - I sang/was singing
Preterite - I sang
Future - I shall/will sing
Past perfect - I have sung
Pluperfect - I had sung
Furture perfect - I shall/will have sung
Conditional - I would sing

Answer 2

All of the tenses in spanish mean the same thing as all of the tenses in english.

Imperfect tense, for example, is in both spanish and english language. So all of the tenses mean the same for the spanish language that they do for the english language.

Answer 3

The imperfect is pretty complex- but here's a really straightforward explanation.

If you wanted to say you "used to" do something, use the imperfect. I used to swim. I used to dance.

Also, if you want to say you were doing an action in the past- but it sounds like it's going on now, use the imperfect. Ex. I was talking on the phone...., he was listening to me....,