The imperfect for habits, descriptions and ongoing actions in the past: "used to" and "was doing".
eu falava
I used to speak / I was speaking (-ar verbs: -ava)
você falava
you used to speak
nós falávamos
we used to speak
eles falavam
they used to speak
eu comia
I used to eat (-er verbs: -ia)
nós comíamos
we used to eat
eles comiam
they used to eat
eu abria
I used to open (-ir verbs: -ia)
eu era
I was, used to be (ser)
nós éramos
we were (ser)
eu tinha
I had, used to have (ter)
eu estava
I was (estar)
eu ia
I was going, used to go (ir)
eu fazia
I used to do
eu vinha
I used to come
eu punha
I used to put
havia
there was, there were (formal; in speech: tinha)
Quando eu era criança, eu morava no interior.
When I was a child, I lived in the countryside.
Eu jogava bola todo dia.
I used to play football every day.
Minha avó cozinhava muito bem.
My grandmother cooked really well.
A casa era grande e tinha um jardim.
The house was big and had a garden.
Estava chovendo quando eu saí.
It was raining when I left.
Eu estava dormindo quando você ligou.
I was sleeping when you called.
Eram dez horas.
It was ten o'clock.
Ela tinha vinte anos.
She was twenty.
Antigamente não tinha internet.
In the old days there was no internet.
Eu sempre ia à praia nas férias.
I always went to the beach on holiday.
Nós nos falávamos todos os dias.
We used to talk every day.
Enquanto eu cozinhava, ele lia.
While I was cooking, he was reading.
Eu queria um café, por favor.
I'd like a coffee, please. (polite imperfect)
Eu achava que era fácil.
I thought it was easy.
Eu não sabia.
I didn't know.
O que você fazia antes?
What did you do before?
Ele estava cansado.
He was tired.
Fazia muito frio.
It was very cold.
Eu costumava correr de manhã.
I used to run in the mornings.
antigamente
in the old days
quando eu era pequeno
when I was little
todo verão
every summer
naquela época
back then, at that time