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The imperfect tense is indicated by the addition of "bä"
after the stem and before the endings in the 1st and 2nd Conjugations.
[NB: the "a" in "bä"
is short (i.e., "ba") in the 1st & 3rd singular and 3rd plural (because
"a" is short before "m," "n," and "t."]
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E.g. monë-ba-t:
3rd singular
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The imperfect tense is past progressive action: action
that is going on, repeated, habitual - or it could be action which is just
beginning. All you need to remember about this concept is that the imperfect
tense is a past action which is incomplete.
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The imperfect tense is translated with "was","were," "used
to" or "kept"- whatever is more appropriate English for the Latin you are
translating.
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E.g. I was petting Casey.