🤔Used to in Spanish: how to talk about past habits naturally 🇪🇸

When you say used to in English, you are talking about past habits or routines that were true for a long time. It’s a super common structure because we often describe things we used to do in childhood, school, work or daily life. In Spanish, however, there isn’t one single verb that matches the English used to, but there are two very natural and easy ways to express the same idea.

These two tools will help you sound more fluent and confident when talking about things you used to do in the past. Let’s learn how to use them! 😊

🌟 The two main ways to express ‘used to’ in Spanish

In English, we use used to to describe repeated actions or states in the past. But in Spanish, there are two different options, and each one has its own charm. 💃

The imperfect tense: This is your go-to for expressing past habits. It’s like the Swiss Army knife of past actions! 🔨 It describes something that happened repeatedly or habitually in the past, with no clear start or finish. Think of it as the go-to way to say, “I used to do this, it was a routine, but now it’s not.” 🕰️

Soler + infinitive: This is another awesome option that focuses on the idea of being in the habit of doing something. Soler is great for talking about things you usually do, both in the present and the past. When used in the past, it’s like saying “I was in the habit of doing this” or “I used to do it regularly.” 🌟

Both of these forms will help you express habits and routines in a natural way. Which one to use? Well, we’ll get to that soon! 😎

🔥 The imperfect tense: the main way to say ‘used to’

The imperfect tense is a powerful tool when it comes to talking about repeated actions in the past. 🌞 It’s the first option that comes to mind when we want to say used to. Conjugation is very easy; verbs ending in -er and -ir have the same ! Look:

And there are only three irregular verbs, a piece of cake!

Examples in action:

😄 I used to play football every day → Yo jugaba al fútbol todos los días

🏫 I used to go to school by bus → Yo iba al colegio en autobús

🎮 I used to do my homework in the afternoon → Yo hacía mis deberes por la tarde

🐶 I used to have a smaill dog → Yo tenía un perro pequeño

The imperfect is simple, natural, and safe for talking about past routines. It’s your friend when describing actions that were part of your daily life! 🙌

✨ Soler + infinitivo: habits in the present and in the past

Ready for another cool way to say used to? Meet soler! 🥳

The verb soler means “to be in the habit of,” and it’s awesome for expressing regular actions or habits. It’s perfect for both present and past actions. Let's see both conjugations again:

Present: I usually + verb. When talking about things you usually do, soler is your go-to. 🌈

🍴I usually eat early → Yo suelo comer temprano

🏋🏻 I usually go to the gym in the morning → Yo suelo ir al gimnasio por la mañana

Past: I used to + infinitive. When you want to talk about past habits, soler + infinitive is fantástico! 🌟

📕I used to read before sleeping → Yo solía leer antes de dormir

✈️ I used to travel a lot for work → Yo solía viajar mucho por trabajo

So, what’s the difference between the imperfect tense and soler? Well, the imperfect is super flexible and common, but soler adds a bit more focus on habituality. It's like saying, "I was regularly doing this!" 🤓

💬 Put into practice: ‘I used to do’, ‘I used to go’, ‘I used to play’, ‘I used to have’

Let’s put all that imperfect and soler knowledge to good use. Here are some examples with the most used verbs that you can try for yourself! 🤩

✨ I used to do sport every day

💪 Yo hacía deporte todos los días or Yo solía hacer deporte todos los días

✨ I used to go to work by train

🚄Yo iba al trabajo en tren or Yo solía ir al trabajo en tren

✨ I used to play basketball in secondary school

🏀Yo jugaba al baloncesto en el instituto or Yo solía jugar al baloncesto en el instituto

✨ I used to have sheep on the farm

🐑Yo tenía ovejas en la granja or Yo solía tener ovejas en la granja

💡 Extra tip: ‘be used to’ vs ‘get used to’ (NOT the same!)

In English, be used to and get used to sound quite similar to used to, but in Spanish, they are expressed in very different ways and have different meanings. Let’s clarify how to use them correctly!

✨ Be used to: estar acostumbrado/a a

When we use ‘be used to’ in English, we’re talking about being accustomed to something — it’s about a state of being familiar or comfortable with something, no longer feeling strange or difficult.

😌 I'm used to waking up early → Estoy acostumbrado a levantarme temprano

🏋️‍♂️She is used to intense exercise → Ella está acostumbrada al ejercicio intenso

📚We are used to studying at night →  Estamos acostumbrados a estudiar por la noche

✨ Get used to: acostumbrarse a

On the other hand, ‘get used to’ refers to the process of adapting or becoming accustomed to something, not the state. It’s the journey of getting familiar with a new situation or habit.

🌅 I am getting used to living in Spain → Me estoy acostumbrando a vivir en España

🎧 He got used to the Andalusian accent → Se acostumbró al acento andaluz

🏫The children are getting used to their new school → Los niños se están acostumbrando a su nuevo colegio

🧠 Quick recap to avoid confusion

👉 used to = past habit (imperfect tense or soler)
👉 be used to = being accustomed to something (estar acostumbrado a...)
👉 get used to = getting accustomed to something, the process of adapting (acostumbrarse a...)

Now that we’ve cleared that up, understanding how to talk about habits and routines in Spanish will be a piece of cake! 😄

🧠 Quiz time! 💬

🎯 Choose the correct option! 

And you?

🧒 Write one sentence with the imperfect tense and one with soler + infinitivo.

Let’s see what habits you had! 😄