Por Vahid Alaghehband
Used to + verbo en forma base expresa hábitos o estados del pasado que ya no son así: I used to play the guitar (antes tocaba; ahora no). En negativas y preguntas se escribe use to, sin -d, porque did ya marca el pasado: Did you use to…? I didn't use to…
Esta guía forma parte de la gramática inglesa por nivel. Used to corresponde al nivel A2 del MCER (subnivel A2.2 en el catálogo de Vozi Grammar). Equivale a "solía" o al imperfecto con "antes" (antes tocaba la guitarra).
Cómo se forma used to
| Forma | Estructura | Ejemplo |
|---|---|---|
| Afirmativa | Sujeto + used to + verbo base | We used to live in Esmeraldas. |
| Negativa | Sujeto + didn't use to + verbo base | She didn't use to like coffee. |
| Pregunta | Did + sujeto + use to + verbo base? | Did you use to walk to school? |
| Respuesta corta | Yes, + sujeto + did. No, + sujeto + didn't. | Yes, I did. No, I didn't. |
Used to solo existe en pasado. Para hábitos del presente se usa el presente simple con usually (I usually walk to work), no I use to walk. Se pronuncia /ˈjuːs tə/: la d no se oye.
Cuándo se usa used to
Hábitos del pasado que terminaron
Algo que hacías con frecuencia y ya no haces.
- I used to get up at five when I worked in the factory.
- We used to go to the beach every Carnival.
- My dad used to smoke, but he stopped.
Estados del pasado que cambiaron
Cómo era algo o alguien antes.
- This building used to be a cinema.
- I used to have long hair.
- She used to be very shy.
Contrastar el antes y el ahora
Muy útil para hablar de cambios en tu vida.
- I didn't use to like vegetables, but now I love them.
- There used to be a park here; now it's a parking lot.
Palabras clave
Estas expresiones acompañan a used to y marcan el contraste con el presente:
- when I was a child / kid
- in the past
- before
- back then
- not … anymore
- now
Errores frecuentes de hispanohablantes
| Error | Corrección | Por qué |
|---|---|---|
| ✗ I use to play soccer when I was a kid. | ✔ I used to play soccer when I was a kid. | En afirmativa se escribe used, con -d. |
| ✗ I used to playing soccer. | ✔ I used to play soccer. | Después de used to va el verbo base, sin -ing. |
| ✗ I didn't used to eat meat. | ✔ I didn't use to eat meat. | Con did, la -d desaparece: did ya marca el pasado. |
| ✗ I use to drink coffee every morning. | ✔ I usually drink coffee every morning. | El "suelo" del español en presente se traduce con usually, no con use to. |
| ✗ I used to go to Quito last year. | ✔ I went to Quito last year. | Used to es para hábitos o estados repetidos, no para una acción puntual con fecha. |
Used to vs be used to vs would
| Estructura | Significado | Ejemplo |
|---|---|---|
| used to + verbo | Hábito o estado del pasado que ya no ocurre | I used to work nights. |
| be used to + -ing / sustantivo | Estar acostumbrado | I'm used to working nights. |
| get used to + -ing / sustantivo | Acostumbrarse | I'm getting used to working nights. |
| would + verbo | Hábito repetido del pasado (no estados) | Every summer we would visit my grandma. |
Would sirve para acciones repetidas, pero no para estados: se dice I used to have a dog, no I would have a dog.
Miniconversación
Dos amigos miran una foto antigua.
A: Is that you in the photo?
B: Yes! I used to have really long hair in high school.
A: No way! Did you use to play in a band?
B: I did. We used to practice every Friday in my garage.
A: Do you still play?
B: Not anymore. I don't have time, but I always listen to music while I work — I'm used to it.
A: My brother used to play the drums. My mom hated it!
B: Ha! My neighbors didn't like it either.
10 ejercicios con respuestas
Completa con used to, use to, be used to o la forma correcta del verbo. En el último, corrige el error.
- I ___ (play) the piano when I was a child.
- She ___ (not / like) spicy food, but now she loves it.
- ___ you ___ (live) in the countryside?
- There ___ (be) a cinema on this street.
- We ___ (go) camping every summer.
- He ___ (not / wear) glasses.
- I'm ___ waking up early. (= estoy acostumbrado)
- My grandparents ___ (have) a small farm.
- It took me months to get used to ___ (drive) on the left.
- Corrige: I use to walk to school when I was ten.
Ver respuestas
- used to play
- didn't use to like
- Did … use to live
- used to be
- used to go
- didn't use to wear
- used to
- used to have
- driving
- I used to walk to school when I was ten.
Siguiente paso: si no sabes tu nivel, haz el test de nivel de inglés (unos 15 minutos, con resultado al instante). Para seguir con este tema, conoce los ejercicios de gramática inglesa por nivel de Vozi Grammar.
Preguntas frecuentes
¿Qué significa used to en español?
Equivale a solía o al imperfecto con antes: I used to live in Quito = Antes vivía en Quito o Solía vivir en Quito. Implica que ya no es así.
¿Cuál es la diferencia entre used to y be used to?
Used to + verbo habla de un hábito pasado (I used to work nights). Be used to + -ing significa estar acostumbrado (I'm used to working nights).
¿Se dice didn't used to o didn't use to?
La forma correcta es didn't use to, porque después de did el verbo va en forma base. Did you use to…? sigue la misma regla.
¿Se puede usar used to en presente?
No. Para hábitos actuales se usa el presente simple, a menudo con usually: I usually walk to work.