Spanish vocabulary · Beginner
How to Say Used To in Spanish: Solía and the Imperfect Tense
Solía · verb · soh-LEE-ah
The English expression 'used to' (describing a past habit) is conveyed in Spanish by the verb 'soler' in the imperfect tense (solía + infinitive) or simply by using the imperfect tense of any verb. Both methods indicate actions that were habitual or repeated in the past but no longer occur.
Solía is pronounced soh-LEE-ah with stress on the second syllable. The conjugation pattern is: yo solía, tú solías, él/ella solía, nosotros solíamos, ellos solían.
Cuando era niño, solía jugar en el parque todos los días.
When I was a child, I used to play in the park every day.
Used To in Spanish: Quick Reference
Below are the most common Spanish words for used to, with pronunciation and regional usage notes.
| Spanish | English | Pronunciation | Region / Register |
|---|---|---|---|
| solía | used to | soh-LEE-ah | Default, widely understood |
| acostumbraba | used to | alternative for habitual past | |
| imperfect tense | used to | grammatical structure |
How Native Speakers Use Solía
Real example sentences across three contexts you'll actually run into.
Past habits
Solíamos cenar juntos todos los domingos.
We used to have dinner together every Sunday.
Soler in the imperfect tense directly translates 'used to' for repeated past actions.
Imperfect tense alternative
De joven, corría cinco kilómetros cada mañana.
When I was young, I used to run five kilometers every morning.
The imperfect tense alone (corría) can express 'used to' without needing 'soler'.
Contrasting past and present
Antes solía fumar, pero dejé ese hábito hace tres años.
I used to smoke before, but I quit that habit three years ago.
Showing how solía marks a discontinued past behavior.
Avoid These Mistakes When Using Solía
Confusing 'used to' with 'to use'
Incorrect: Yo usé ir al cine los viernes. (intending 'I used to go')
Correct: Yo solía ir al cine los viernes.
The verb 'usar' means 'to use' (an object). The English 'used to' (past habit) requires 'soler' in the imperfect or simply the imperfect tense of the main verb.
Using soler in the preterite
Incorrect: Yo solí hacer ejercicio.
Correct: Yo solía hacer ejercicio.
Soler is almost exclusively used in the imperfect tense (solía) for past habits or the present tense (suele) for current habits. The preterite form 'solí' sounds unnatural.
Lock in Used To Vocabulary with the Parrot Method
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See Solía used by native speakers
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Common Questions About Used To in Spanish
- Do I need 'soler' or can I just use the imperfect tense?
- Using the imperfect tense of any verb already conveys the meaning of 'used to' in Spanish, so 'solía' + infinitive is optional but adds explicit emphasis that the action was habitual—both approaches are correct and natural.
- How is 'used to' different from 'to be used to'?
- The expression 'used to' (past habit) is 'solía' in Spanish, while 'to be used to' (accustomed) translates to 'estar acostumbrado a'—these are completely different constructions despite looking similar in English.
- Can soler be used in the present tense?
- In the present tense, 'soler' means 'to usually do' something (e.g., 'suelo despertarme temprano' = 'I usually wake up early'), expressing current habitual actions rather than past ones.