16.7.3
Preterite vs Imperfect Tenses
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Uses of the Preterite Tense
A finished one-time action
- Fernando compró un nuevo coche.
- Fernando bought a new car.
- Nací en Inglaterra.
- I was born in England.
‘Ayer, la semana pasada, hace un año’
- España ganó la Copa del Mundo en 2010.
- Spain won the world cup in 2010.
- Henry nació el cinco de julio.
- Henry was born on the 5th of July.
A finished period of time
- Vivieron en Australia por seis meses.
- They lived in Australia for six months.
- Leí este libro el año pasado.
- I read this book last year.
Events in order, a sequence of actions
- Me vestí y salí a dar una vuelta.
- I got dressed and went for a walk.
- Entró, bebió una cerveza y comió un pedazo de pan.
- He came in, drank a beer and ate a piece of bread.
Past events in a story
- Llegó a la playa y puso su toalla en la arena.
- She arrived at the beach and put her towel on the sand.
Start and end of events
- Empezó a llover.
- It began to rain.
- El libro terminó con un final cómico.
- The book ended with a comic end.
Uses of the Imperfect Tense
Non-specific time
- When the time period is not clear, and the action isn't finished you need to use the imperfect.
- En esos años Theo vivía en un pequeño apartamento.
- In those days Theo was living in a small apartment.
Repetitive actions in the past
- Todos los días comía una naranja.
- Every day I ate an orange.
- Almorzábamos todos los sábados.
- We used to eat lunch every Saturday.
Description
- When describing people, objects and events in the past, you must use the imperfect.
- La casa era grande.
- The house was big.
- Mi amiga era alta.
- My friend was tall.
- Aquel día hacía frío.
- It was cold that day.
Continuous actions that were going on when something else happened
- Comían cuando llegó su abuelo.
- They were eating when their grandad arrived.
- Mi madre cocinaba cuando salí de la casa.
- My mum was cooking when I left the house.
Age, Time
- Mi hermana tenía veintiún años.
- My sister was 21 years old.
- Eran las cinco de la tarde.
- It was five in the afternoon.
- Era el 12 de enero.
- It was the 12th of January.
Choosing Between the Preterite and the Imperfect
The following rules will help you when trying to decide between using the preterite or the imperfect.
Single actions vs repeated actions
- The preterite is used to express single actions in the past.
- Ayer, llegué tarde al trabajo.
- Yesterday, I was late for work.
- Ayer, llegué tarde al trabajo.
- The imperfect is used to show repeated actions.
- Llegaba tarde al trabajo a menudo.
- I was often late for work.
- Llegaba tarde al trabajo a menudo.
Completed actions vs in progress
- We use the preterite when we refer to the action as a completed event even if it was a continuous or repetitive action:
- Aquella profesora solo enseñó biología el año pasado, pero nunca más.
- That teacher only taught biology last year, but not anymore.
- Aquella profesora solo enseñó biología el año pasado, pero nunca más.
- When we refer to the action when it was in progress, and not as a finished completed event, we use the imperfect:
- Aquella profesora enseñaba biología cuando yo aprobé el test.
- That teacher was teaching biology when I passed the test.
- Aquella profesora enseñaba biología cuando yo aprobé el test.
Exception vs normality
- The preterite is used to express that an action is unique or an exception.
- The imperfect is used to express that an action is normal.
- Ella amaba jugar al fútbol pero aquel día odió el fútbol.
- She loved to play football but that day she hated it.
- Ella amaba jugar al fútbol pero aquel día odió el fútbol.
Actions happening at the same time
- When two actions are taking place simultaneously, the imperfect is used for both ongoing actions.
- Mi madre cocinaba cuando yo estudiaba.
- My mum was cooking when I was studying.
- Mi madre cocinaba cuando yo estudiaba.
1Los valores tradicionales y modernos
1.1Los cambios en la familia
1.2Actitudes hacia el matrimonio/el divorcio
2El ciberespacio
2.1La influencia de internet
2.2Las redes sociales: beneficios y peligros
3La igualdad de los sexos
3.1La mujer en el mercado laboral
3.2El machismo y el feminismo
4La inmigración
4.1Los beneficios y los aspectos negativos
4.2La inmigración en el mundo hispánico
5El racismo
5.1Las actitudes racistas y xenófobas
5.2Las medidas contra el racismo
6La convivencia
6.1La convivencia de culturas
6.2La educación
7La influencia de los ídolos
7.1Cantantes y músicos
7.2Estrellas de televisión y cine
8La identidad regional en España
8.1Tradiciones y costumbres
8.2La gastronomía
9El patrimonio cultural
9.1Sitios turísticos y civilizaciones prehispánicas
9.2Arte y arquitectura
10El Laberinto del Fauno
10.1Temas
10.2Marco histórico
10.3Personajes
11Nouns
11.1Singular & Plural Forms
11.3Affective Suffixes
12Articles
12.1Definite & Indefinite
12.2El with Feminine Nouns
12.3Lo + Adjective
13Adjectives
13.1Agreement
13.2Position
13.4Comparative & Superlative
13.5Use of Adjectives as Nouns
13.6Demonstrative
13.7Indefinite
13.8Possessive
13.9Interrogative & Exclamative
13.10Relative
14Numerals & Quantifiers
14.1Cardinal
14.2Ordinal
14.3Agreement
14.4Expressions of Time and Date
14.5Quantifiers
15Pronouns
15.1Object: Direct & Indirect
15.2Reflexive
15.3Unstressed & Stressed Forms
15.4Position & Order
15.5Relative
15.6Demonstrative
15.7Indefinite
15.8Possessive
15.9Interrogative
16Verbs
16.1Regular Conjunctions
16.2Regular & Irregular Verbs
16.3Agreement of Verb & Subject
16.4Use of Hay Que in All Tenses
16.5Present Tense
16.6Preterite Tense
16.6.1Irregular IR Verbs - Decir, Venir & Ir16.6.2Irregular ER Verbs 216.6.3Irregular AR Verbs16.6.4Regular IR Verbs16.6.5Irregular AR Verbs 216.6.6Irregular IR Verbs 316.6.7Regular ER Verbs16.6.8Irregular ER Verbs16.6.9Irregular IR Verbs - Preterite16.6.10Regular AR Verbs16.6.11Irregular ER Verbs - Ver & Tener
16.7Imperfect Tense
16.8Future Tense
16.9Conditional Tense
16.10Perfect Tense
16.11Future Perfect Tense
16.12Conditional Perfect Tense
16.13Pluperfect Tense
16.14Infinitive, Gerund & Past Participle
16.15Verbal Paraphrases
16.16Use of the Subjunctive
16.17Commands
16.18Conditional Sentences
16.19After Conjunctions of Time
16.20After Para Que, Sin Que
16.21In Relative Clauses
16.22After Other Subordinating Conjunctions
16.23With Verbs of Wishing & Commanding
16.24Sequence of Tense in Indirect Speech
16.25Voice
16.26Use of the Reflexives as a Passive
16.27Use of the Reflexive to Express an Impersonal
16.28Use of Ser + Past Participle
16.29Use of Estar + Past Participle
16.30'Nuance' Reflexive Verbs
16.31Modes of Address
16.32Constructions with Verbs
16.33Verbs Followed by an Infinitive
17Prepositions & Conjunctions
17.1All Prepositions
17.2'Personal' a
17.3Discrimination of Por and Para
17.4Coordinating Conjunctions
17.5Subordinating Conjunctions
17.6Use of Que to Introduce a Clause
18Negation, Questions & Commands
18.1Negation
19Word Order, Other Constructions & Discourse Marker
19.1Subject Following Verb
19.2Focalisation
19.3Time Expressions with Hace/Hacía
19.4Cleft Sentences
19.5Comparative Constructions
19.6Indirect Speech
19.7Discourse Markers
Jump to other topics
1Los valores tradicionales y modernos
1.1Los cambios en la familia
1.2Actitudes hacia el matrimonio/el divorcio
2El ciberespacio
2.1La influencia de internet
2.2Las redes sociales: beneficios y peligros
3La igualdad de los sexos
3.1La mujer en el mercado laboral
3.2El machismo y el feminismo
4La inmigración
4.1Los beneficios y los aspectos negativos
4.2La inmigración en el mundo hispánico
5El racismo
5.1Las actitudes racistas y xenófobas
5.2Las medidas contra el racismo
6La convivencia
6.1La convivencia de culturas
6.2La educación
7La influencia de los ídolos
7.1Cantantes y músicos
7.2Estrellas de televisión y cine
8La identidad regional en España
8.1Tradiciones y costumbres
8.2La gastronomía
9El patrimonio cultural
9.1Sitios turísticos y civilizaciones prehispánicas
9.2Arte y arquitectura
10El Laberinto del Fauno
10.1Temas
10.2Marco histórico
10.3Personajes
11Nouns
11.1Singular & Plural Forms
11.3Affective Suffixes
12Articles
12.1Definite & Indefinite
12.2El with Feminine Nouns
12.3Lo + Adjective
13Adjectives
13.1Agreement
13.2Position
13.4Comparative & Superlative
13.5Use of Adjectives as Nouns
13.6Demonstrative
13.7Indefinite
13.8Possessive
13.9Interrogative & Exclamative
13.10Relative
14Numerals & Quantifiers
14.1Cardinal
14.2Ordinal
14.3Agreement
14.4Expressions of Time and Date
14.5Quantifiers
15Pronouns
15.1Object: Direct & Indirect
15.2Reflexive
15.3Unstressed & Stressed Forms
15.4Position & Order
15.5Relative
15.6Demonstrative
15.7Indefinite
15.8Possessive
15.9Interrogative
16Verbs
16.1Regular Conjunctions
16.2Regular & Irregular Verbs
16.3Agreement of Verb & Subject
16.4Use of Hay Que in All Tenses
16.5Present Tense
16.6Preterite Tense
16.6.1Irregular IR Verbs - Decir, Venir & Ir16.6.2Irregular ER Verbs 216.6.3Irregular AR Verbs16.6.4Regular IR Verbs16.6.5Irregular AR Verbs 216.6.6Irregular IR Verbs 316.6.7Regular ER Verbs16.6.8Irregular ER Verbs16.6.9Irregular IR Verbs - Preterite16.6.10Regular AR Verbs16.6.11Irregular ER Verbs - Ver & Tener
16.7Imperfect Tense
16.8Future Tense
16.9Conditional Tense
16.10Perfect Tense
16.11Future Perfect Tense
16.12Conditional Perfect Tense
16.13Pluperfect Tense
16.14Infinitive, Gerund & Past Participle
16.15Verbal Paraphrases
16.16Use of the Subjunctive
16.17Commands
16.18Conditional Sentences
16.19After Conjunctions of Time
16.20After Para Que, Sin Que
16.21In Relative Clauses
16.22After Other Subordinating Conjunctions
16.23With Verbs of Wishing & Commanding
16.24Sequence of Tense in Indirect Speech
16.25Voice
16.26Use of the Reflexives as a Passive
16.27Use of the Reflexive to Express an Impersonal
16.28Use of Ser + Past Participle
16.29Use of Estar + Past Participle
16.30'Nuance' Reflexive Verbs
16.31Modes of Address
16.32Constructions with Verbs
16.33Verbs Followed by an Infinitive
17Prepositions & Conjunctions
17.1All Prepositions
17.2'Personal' a
17.3Discrimination of Por and Para
17.4Coordinating Conjunctions
17.5Subordinating Conjunctions
17.6Use of Que to Introduce a Clause
18Negation, Questions & Commands
18.1Negation
19Word Order, Other Constructions & Discourse Marker
19.1Subject Following Verb
19.2Focalisation
19.3Time Expressions with Hace/Hacía
19.4Cleft Sentences
19.5Comparative Constructions
19.6Indirect Speech
19.7Discourse Markers
Practice questions on Preterite vs Imperfect Tenses
Can you answer these? Test yourself with free interactive practice on Seneca — used by over 10 million students.
- 1Which of the following sentences is correct?Multiple choice
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- 3How do you say 'they were eating' in Spanish?Multiple choice
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