ibas
EE-bahs
Quick Reference
📝 In Action
¿Adónde ibas cuando te llamé?
A1Where were you going when I called you?
Antes, ibas a la playa todos los veranos, ¿verdad?
A2Before, you used to go to the beach every summer, right?
Ibas a decirme algo importante cuando nos interrumpieron.
B1You were going to tell me something important when they interrupted us.
💡 Grammar Points
The Imperfect Tense (Setting the Scene)
Use 'ibas' to describe an ongoing action in the past, or to talk about habits and routines you had as a child. It describes the background setting of a story.
Irregularity of Ir
'Ir' (to go) is one of the most irregular verbs in Spanish. You simply have to memorize that the 'tú' form for the descriptive past (imperfect) is 'ibas'.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Confusing Imperfect and Simple Past
Mistake: "Usando 'fuiste' para una descripción: 'De pequeño, fuiste al parque todos los días.'"
Correction: Use 'ibas' for habitual actions: 'De pequeño, ibas al parque todos los días.' ('Fuiste' means you went one single time.)
⭐ Usage Tips
Describing Past Intentions
You can use 'ibas a' followed by a main verb to mean 'you were about to do something' or 'you intended to do something': Ibas a salir, pero empezó a llover. (You were about to leave, but it started to rain.)
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: ibas
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence correctly uses 'ibas' to describe a repeated action in the past?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between 'ibas' and 'eras'?
Both are descriptive past forms. 'Ibas' comes from 'ir' (to go) and describes movement or travel ('you were going'). 'Eras' comes from 'ser' (to be) and describes identity or permanent characteristics ('you were tall,' 'you were a doctor').
Why is 'ir' so irregular?
The verb 'ir' is highly irregular because over centuries, Spanish speakers merged forms from several old Latin verbs that all meant 'to go.' This blending resulted in a unique mix of stems across its tenses.