Choosing Between the Preterite & the Imperfect

Test yourself

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.
The imperfect is used to show repeated actions.
- Llegaba tarde al trabajo a menudo.
  - I was often late for work.

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 enseñó biología el año pasado, pero nunca más.
  - That teacher taught biology last year, but not anymore.
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.

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.

Actions happening at the same time

When two actions are taking place simultaneously, the preterite is used for the main action and the imperfect is used for ongoing actions.
- Mi madre cocinaba cuando yo estudiaba.
  - My mum was cooking when I was studying.

1Phonics/Alphabet/Spellings

1.1Phonics / Alphabet / Spellings

1.1.1Phonics

1.1.2Pronunciation

1.1.3Recognising Words

2My Family & I

3Time

3.1Time

3.1.1Numbers: 1-10

3.1.2Numbers: 11-20

3.1.3Numbers: 21-29

3.1.4Numbers: 30-100

3.1.5What Time Is It?

3.1.6Days of the Week

3.1.7Months of the Year

3.1.8Frequency & Timings

4Home

4.1Home

4.1.1Where Do You Live?

4.1.2My Village

4.1.3Daily Routine

4.1.4Chores

4.1.5Home - Listening

4.1.6End of Topic Test - Home

4.2Home - Vocabulary

4.2.1Home - English to Spanish

4.2.2Home - Spanish to English

5Body & Illness

5.1Body & Illness

5.1.1The Head

5.1.2Body

5.1.3Body - Listening

5.1.4Illness

5.1.5Recovery

5.1.6Illness - Listening

5.1.7End of Topic Test - Body & Illness

5.2Body & Illness - Vocabulary

5.2.1Body & Illness - English to Spanish

5.2.2Body & Illness - Spanish to English

6Relationships

6.1Relationships

6.1.1Important Verbs

6.1.2Relationships

6.1.3Estar

6.1.4Relationships Vocab - Spanish to English

6.1.5Relationships Vocab - English to Spanish

6.1.6Relationships - Translations

6.1.7Relationships - Listening

6.2Relationships - Vocabulary

6.2.1Relationships - English to Spanish

6.2.2Relationships - Spanish to English

7Customs & Festivals

7.1Customs & Festivals in Spanish Speaking Countries

7.1.1Customs & Festivals

7.1.2Regular AR Verbs in the Preterite Tense

7.1.3Festivals Vocab - Spanish to English

7.1.4Festivals Vocab - English to Spanish

7.1.5Festivals - Translations

7.1.6Customs & Festivals - Listening

7.2Customs & Festivals - Vocabulary

7.2.1Festivals - English to Spanish

7.2.2Festivals - Spanish to English

8School

8.1School

8.1.1School Subjects

8.1.2Future Study

8.1.3School Routine

8.1.4In School

8.1.5In The Classroom

8.1.6School - Listening

8.1.7End of Topic Test - School

8.2School - Vocabulary

8.2.1School - English to Spanish

8.2.2School - Spanish to English

8.2.3School Subjects - English to Spanish

8.2.4School Subjects - Spanish to English

8.2.5School Routine - English to Spanish

8.2.6School Routine - Spanish to English

9Jobs

9.1Jobs

9.1.1Jobs

9.1.2Motivation

9.1.3Jobs - Listening

9.1.4End of Topic Test - Jobs

9.2Jobs - Vocabulary

9.2.1Jobs & Careers - English to Spanish

9.2.2Jobs & Careers - Spanish to English

10Town & Shopping

10.1Town

10.1.1Geography

10.1.2Shops

10.1.3Places in Town

10.1.4Directions

10.1.5Near, There

10.1.6Town - Listening

10.1.7Cities in Spain

10.1.8Dialects in Spain

10.1.9End of Topic Test - Town

10.2Shopping

10.2.1Clothes

10.2.2How Much?

10.2.3Shopping - Listening

10.3Town - Vocabulary

10.3.1Places in Town - English to Spanish

10.3.2Places in Town - Spanish to English

10.3.3Shops - English to Spanish

10.3.4Shops - Spanish to English

10.3.5Directions - English to Spanish

10.3.6Directions - Spanish to English

11Food & Health Life

12Free Time

12.1Free Time

12.1.1Sport

12.1.2Instruments

12.1.3Music

12.1.4Cinema

12.1.5TV

12.1.6Books

12.1.7Making Plans

12.1.8Free Time - Listening

12.1.9End of Topic Test - Free Time

12.2Free Time - Vocabulary

12.2.1Sport - English to Spanish

12.2.2Sport - Spanish to English

12.2.3Music - English to Spanish

12.2.4Music - Spanish to English

12.2.5Cinema & TV - English to Spanish

12.2.6Cinema & TV - Spanish to English

13Social Media

13.1Social Media

13.1.1Social Media

13.1.2Social Media 2

13.1.3Social Media Vocab - Spanish to English

13.1.4Social Media Vocab - English to Spanish

13.1.5Social Media Vocab - Translations

13.1.6Positives of Social Media

13.1.7Negatives of Social Media

13.1.8'No'

13.1.9Mobile Technology

13.1.10Your Devices

13.1.11Mobile Tech Vocab- Spanish to English

13.1.12Mobile Tech Vocab- English to Spanish

13.1.13Mobile Tech Vocab- Translations

13.1.14Social Media - Listening

13.2Social Media - Vocabulary

13.2.1Social Media - English to Spanish

13.2.2Social Media - Spanish to English

14Holiday

14.1Holiday

14.1.1Countries

14.1.2Going on Holiday

14.1.3Your Journey

14.1.4Activities on Holiday

14.1.5Bookings

14.1.6Accommodation

14.1.7Good Weather

14.1.8Bad Weather

14.1.9Holiday - Listening

14.1.10End of Topic Test - Holidays

14.2Holiday - Vocabulary

14.2.1Holidays - English to Spanish

14.2.2Holidays - Spanish to English

14.2.3Booking - English to Spanish

14.2.4Booking - Spanish to English

14.2.5Weather - English to Spanish

14.2.6Weather - Spanish to English

15The World Around Us

15.1The World Around Us

15.1.1Volunteering

15.1.2Human Rights

15.1.3The Environment

15.2The World Around Us

15.2.1Volunteering - English to Spanish

15.2.2Volunteering - Spanish to English

15.2.3Environment - English to Spanish

15.2.4Environment - Spanish to English

16Present Tense

17Past Tense

18Future Tense

18.1Immediate Future

18.1.1Immediate Future

18.2Future

18.2.1Regular AR Verbs

18.2.2Regular ER Verbs

18.2.3Regular IR Verbs

18.2.4Irregular Verbs

18.2.5Future - 'Hacer'

18.2.6Future - 'Decir'

19Conditional

19.1Conditional Tense

19.1.1Regular AR Verbs

19.1.2Regular ER Verbs

19.1.3Regular IR Verbs

19.1.4Conditional - 'Hacer'

19.1.5Conditional - 'Decir'

19.1.6Irregulars in the Conditional

20Grammar

20.1Articles

20.1.1Definite Article

20.1.2Uses of the Definite Article

20.1.3Indefinite Article

20.1.4Uses of the Indefinite Article

20.1.5Infinitives

20.2Adjectives

20.2.1Gender & Position

20.2.2The Position of Adjectives

20.2.3Adjectives that Change Endings

20.2.4Adjectives that Remain the Same

20.2.5Adjectives 2

20.2.6'Ser'

20.2.7'Estar'

20.2.8Grande & Bueno

20.2.9Plurals Ending in a Consonant

20.2.10Plurals Ending in a Vowel

20.2.11Possession

20.2.12Indefinite

20.2.13Complex Comparisons

20.3Nouns

20.3.1Common Noun Endings

20.3.2Other Noun Endings

20.3.3People & Animals

20.3.4Nouns that Stay the Same

20.3.5Nouns Used for Masculine or Feminine

20.3.6Masculine & Feminine Nouns

20.3.7Masculine Exceptions

20.3.8Feminine Exceptions

20.3.9Noun Endings that Are Usually Feminine

20.3.10Noun Endings that Are Usually Masculine

20.3.11Masculine Nouns

20.3.12Masculine & Feminine Nouns

20.3.13Plural Nouns that End in a Vowel

20.3.14Plural Nouns that End in a Consonant

20.4Imperative

20.4.1The Positive Imperative

20.4.2The Negative Imperative

20.4.3Irregular Imperatives

20.5Prepositions

20.5.1Common Prepositions

20.5.2'A' and 'De'

20.5.3'Para'

20.5.4'Por'

20.6Pronouns

20.6.1This, These

20.6.2Reflexive

20.7Negatives

20.7.1Negatives

20.7.2'Nada'

20.8Questions

20.8.1Asking Questions Without Question Words

20.8.2Question Words

20.8.3Question Words 2

20.9Conjunctions

20.9.1What Are Conjunctions??

20.9.2Some Common Conjunctions

20.9.3Connectors

20.10Adverbs

20.10.1Forming

Jump to other topics