B1 · Imperfeito paints; pretérito cuts

Two pasts — scene and cut

Imperfeito is the wide shot: chovia, era tarde, costumava ir a pé. Pretérito is the cut: o eléctrico parou, vi-a, falámos. A useful frame: Era… quando de repente…. Mix them and you sound like a person telling a story.

• Chovia quando o eléctrico parou.

  It was raining when the tram stopped.

• Era tarde e havia pouca gente na rua.

  It was late and there were few people in the street.

• Costumava ir a pé.

  I used to walk.