hacíamos
/ah-SEE-ah-mos/
we were doing
This picture shows an ongoing past action: 'we were doing' (weeding).
hacíamos(verb)
we were doing
?Ongoing past action
,we used to do
?Habitual past action
we did
?Describing background context in the past
📝 In Action
Cuando éramos jóvenes, hacíamos deporte todos los días.
A1When we were young, we used to do sports every day.
No sabíamos qué hacíamos, pero nos divertíamos mucho.
A2We didn't know what we were doing, but we were having a lot of fun.
Hacíamos cola para comprar entradas para el concierto.
B1We were standing in line to buy tickets for the concert.
💡 Grammar Points
The Imperfect Tense
This form, 'hacíamos,' tells you about the past, but specifically about actions that were repeated over time (habits) or actions that were happening continuously when something else interrupted them.
Focus on 'We'
The ending '-íamos' always means the action was being done by 'nosotros' (we), including yourself and others.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Confusing Imperfect and Preterite
Mistake: "Using 'hicimos' (we did, one finished action) when you mean 'hacíamos' (we used to do, a habit)."
Correction: Use 'hacíamos' when describing how things *were* in the past or what you did routinely, not for a single, completed event.
⭐ Usage Tips
Setting the Scene
'Hacíamos' is perfect for setting the scene or describing the background in a story, like 'It was raining and we were doing nothing (hacíamos nada) at home.'
When we refer to ongoing creation or production, we use "hacíamos," meaning "we were making" (cookies).
hacíamos(verb)
we were making
?Ongoing creation/production
,we used to make
?Habitual creation
we prepared
?Food preparation
📝 In Action
Cada Navidad, hacíamos galletas para todos nuestros vecinos.
A1Every Christmas, we used to make cookies for all our neighbors.
Mientras tú dormías, nosotros hacíamos el desayuno.
A2While you were sleeping, we were making breakfast.
💡 Grammar Points
Making vs. Doing
Unlike English, which separates 'make' and 'do,' Spanish uses 'hacer' for both ideas, so 'hacíamos' can mean 'we were doing' or 'we were making,' depending on the object.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: hacíamos
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence correctly uses 'hacíamos' to describe a recurring past activity?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between 'hacíamos' and 'hicimos'?
'Hacíamos' (imperfect) means 'we were doing' or 'we used to do,' focusing on continuous or repeated action in the past. 'Hicimos' (preterite) means 'we did' and refers to a single action that finished at a specific point in the past.
Is 'hacíamos' irregular?
The infinitive 'hacer' is highly irregular in many tenses (like the preterite 'hice' or the future 'haré'). However, the imperfect form 'hacíamos' is actually very regular! It simply takes the 'hac-' stem and adds the standard imperfect ending '-íamos'.