The preterite vs. the imperfect There are two “simple” past tenses in Spanish: The “preterite” and the “imperfect”. These tenses are not interchangeable, meaning that each one has specific uses and meanings.

The uses of the preterite A one time past action Ayer yo comi pizza Yesterday I ate pizza

The uses of the preterite As part of a chain of events. Primero ella abrió la puerta, entonces miró adentro. First she opened the door, then she looked inside.

The uses of the preterite To state the beginning or end of an action. Ellos terminaron el examen y salieron de la clase. They finished the test and left the classroom.

Preterite key words Ayer = yesterday Anteayer = the day before yesterday Anoche = last night Entonces = then El ano pasado La semana pasada Una vez = one time

The uses of the imperfect Repeated or habitual past action. Siempre comíamos a las siete. We always ate at seven.

The uses of the imperfect To “set the stage” for something. Yo miraba la televisión cuando . . . I was watching t.v. when . . .

The uses of the imperfect To tell time (on the clock) in the past. Eran las tres de la tarde. It was 3 p.m.

The uses of the imperfect Someone’s age in the past. El hombre tenía cuarenta años. The man was 40 years old.

The uses of the imperfect Mental or physical state in the past. La maestra estaba enojada. La chica tenia hambre The teacher was mad. The girl was hungry

The uses of the imperfect Physical characteristics in the past. La mujer era alta y rubia. The woman was tall and blonde.

Imperfect key words A menudo = often A veces = sometimes Cada noche Cada dia/ano Todos los dias/anos Mucho = a lot Siempre = always Generalmente = generally Frecuentemente = frequently

Uses in the same sentence Ella estaba en la casa cuando su mama llego. Juan comió mucho porque tenia hambre. Describing the scene and then the interruption.