"Used to" expresses past habits that no longer happen and past states; "would" only expresses past habitual actions.
A past habit or state that no longer exists. Can describe both actions AND states (be, have, know, like).
I used to live in Mexico City before I moved here.
Yo vivia en Ciudad de Mexico antes de mudarme aqui.
She used to be very shy as a child. Now she is very outgoing.
Ella era muy timida de nina. Ahora es muy extrovertida.
We used to have a dog, but it passed away two years ago.
Teniamos un perro, pero murio hace dos anos.
Past habitual action. Only for repeated actions, never for states.
Every summer, we would rent a cabin by the lake.
Cada verano, rentabamos una cabana junto al lago.
He would always bring flowers when he visited.
El siempre traia flores cuando nos visitaba.
When I was young, my mother would read to me every night.
Cuando yo era nino, mi madre me leia cada noche.
Common mistake
Using "would" with state verbs: "I would live in Mexico" (for past habit) sounds like a conditional ("I would live in Mexico if..."). "I would be shy" sounds hypothetical. For past states, only "used to" works: "I used to be shy", "I used to live there", "I used to have a dog". "Would" + state verb = conditional, not past habit.
Trick to remember it
Action vs state verb: "would" only works with actions (go, do, eat, read). "Used to" works with everything — actions AND states (be, have, know, like, live, believe). If the verb describes a state, use only "used to".
Quick rule
Used to = past habit + past state. Would (habitual) = repeated past action only (never states).
Did you know?
"Used to" has a pronunciation trap: it is pronounced as one unit — "YOOS-tuh", not "yoozd TOO". The final "d" of "used" is not pronounced clearly. And "be used to" (to be accustomed to) is completely different: "I am used to cold weather" — same words, radically different meaning.
Exercise 1 · Pick the right one
When I was young, I _____ play in the street with all the neighborhood kids.
Exercise 2 · Pick the right one
She _____ be very interested in art, but she gave it up in college.
Exercise 3 · Form the word
Used to = past habit + past state. Would (habitual) = repeated past action only (never states).
Using "would" with state verbs: "I would live in Mexico" (for past habit) sounds like a conditional ("I would live in Mexico if..."). "I would be shy" sounds hypothetical. For past states, only "used to" works: "I used to be shy", "I used to live there", "I used to have a dog". "Would" + state verb = conditional, not past habit.
Action vs state verb: "would" only works with actions (go, do, eat, read). "Used to" works with everything — actions AND states (be, have, know, like, live, believe). If the verb describes a state, use only "used to".
Bryan López
Founder of SpeakUP Academy