Preterite

Preterite
The preterite is used in the following situations:
For actions that can be viewed as single events.
For actions that were repeated a specific number of times.
For actions that occurred during a specific period of time.
For actions that were part of a chain of events.
To state the beginning or the end of an action.
Preterite-2
• I studied math for 10 years.
• When we saw the bear, we began to run.
• They talked until class ended.
• ALL of these sentences are COMPLETED
actions in the past.
• THERE IS A BEGINNING AND AN END!
Expressions that signal use of imperfect
a menudo
(often)
generalmente
(usually)
a veces
(sometimes)
muchas veces
(many times)
cada día
(every day)
siempre
(always)
cada año
(every year)
todo el tiempo
(all the time)
de vez en cuando
(from time to time)
varias veces
(several times)
Ongoing Past Actions - Imperfect
The imperfect is used for ongoing past actions.
These actions tend to be interrupted by another action.
For example:
Caminaban por la calle cuando empezó a llover.
They were walking down the street when it began to rain.
Juan comía cuando llegaste.
Juan was eating when you arrived.
Background Information - Imperfect
The imperfect is used to give background information which sets the stage for the principal action:
Era un día muy bonito, no hacía calor y había una brisa muy fresca.
It was a very nice day, it wasn't hot and there was a very fresh breeze.
Todos estábamos preocupados por el examen:
Adolfo sudaba, Gabriel repasaba su tarea y Lupe no podía dejar de hablar.
We were all nervous about the exam: Adolfo was sweating,
Gabriel was reviewing his homework, and Lupe couldn't stop talking.
Habitual Past Actions - Imperfect
When you want to refer to habitual past actions in situations
that would require "used to" or "would" in English
(e.g. I used to smoke; we would always meet at the arcade)
use the imperfect in Spanish.
Yo jugaba tenis cada fin de semana cuando era niño.
I used to play tennis every weekend when I was a child.
Siempre hacíamos excursiones en bicicleta.
We would always go for bike rides.
Mental State or Feelings - Imperfect
If it is a verb which indicates a state of mind or feelings,
rather than a change of state of mind, then use the imperfect:
Yo no me sentía bien. - I didn't feel well.
No sabíamos quien era. - We didn't know who it was.
Estaban muy enojados. - They were very angry.
Change in Mental State or Feelings - Preterite
Changes in one's mental state or feelings are expressed with the
preterite. This is often expressed with the reflexive form and corresponds
to "become + adjective" in English:
Me enfermé del estómago. - I became sick to my stomach.
Se enteró del error. - He found out about the error.
Te enojaste con el árbitro. - You got mad at the referee.
Completed Actions - Preterite
The preterite is used to describe completed actions in the past:
Pasó una semana. - A week went by.
Hice mi tarea. - I did my homework.
Hablé con el director. - I spoke with the director (principal).
Preterite and Imperfect
Meaning changes: There are some cases in which two distinct English verbs will
be needed to express what can be conveyed by the use of the preterite
and imperfect in Spanish.
Remember that the preterite refers to the beginning or ending of an action
and the imperfect refers to an ongoing condition. For example:
Conocí a Miguel en 1998. - I met Miguel in 1998.
Yo conocía a Miguel en 2000. - I knew Miguel in 2000.
Juan supo las noticias y se enojó.
Juan found out about the news and he got mad.
Juan sabía las noticias y estaba enojado.
Juan knew about the news and was angry.
Tuve que ir a la junta. - I had to go to the meeting.
Tenía que ir a la junta. - I was supposed to go to the meeting.
The imperfect tense
When to use the imperfect tense
Ten
Monkeys
Drank
Root beer
Periodically
Cuando era niño, el changito frecuentamente tomaba refrescos.
T = Telling time in the past
-Eran las cuatro de la tarde.
M = “Mental” verbs or verbs where you don’t see the action
-querer (to want, to love)
-preferir (to prefer)
-desear (to desire)
-pensar (to think)
-saber (to know)
-creer (to belive)
-poder (to be able to)
-sentir (to be sorry, to regret)
D = Description in the past
-Hacía buen tiempo
-El niño tenía.. sed, sueño, hambre, razón, miedo etc.
-Él era rubio
-El mercado era pintoresco
-Las estrellas brillaban en el cielo
-El señor tenía sesenta años
-El mar estaba tranquilo
-Las montañas bajaban al mar
R = Repeated or habitual actions:
Keywords are: siempre, a veces, de vez en cuando,
todos los días, frecuentemente, generalmente, etc.
P = Progressive or ongoing actions----actions not completed in
the past
-Yo estudiaba cuando mi amigo llamó.
-El bebé dormía cuando sonó el teléfono