Preterite and Imperfect Verbs …the tricky past is present The past is a foreign country; they do things differently there. - Lesley P. Hartley, The Go-Between, 1953

Uses for Preterite and Imperfect C completed actions: single actions or series of actions F focus on beginning of an action F focus on an actions coming to an end P physical or emotional states H habitual actions A age T time   C continuing actions O ongoing situations W weather

Other situations Something was happening, when an action ‘interrupted’ it. The ongoing action is imperfect, and the action that ‘interrupts’ is preterite. In a long narrative. The part that seems to be descriptive, background info is imperfect, while actions and specific events are preterite.

(interruption of an ongoing action) Practice While I was walking in Florida, I saw a gator (el caimán). Mientras caminaba en Florida, vi a un caimán. (interruption of an ongoing action)

Practice I left Florida, and went to Belize. It was sunny when I arrived! Salí de Florida, y fui a Belize. Hacía mucho sol cuando llegué. (action, weather, action)

Practice It was four o’clock when my mom sent me an e-mail. She was sad, because she missed (echar de menos) me. Eran las cuatro cuando mi madre me mandó un e-mail. Estaba triste, porque me echaba de menos. (time, action, emotion, emotion)

Imperfect Formation

Preterite Formation

Yolanda’s Scary Experience Preterite and Imperfect - As you view this video of Yolanda’s surprising experience as a hotel receptionist, write down as many preterite and imperfect verbs as you hear. After the video, we will go through them together and discuss why they were used.

W e b R e s o u r c e s More Practice Grammar Help Preterite and Imperfect Practice http://www.colby.edu/~bknelson/exercises/superhombre.html Grammar Help Preterite vs. Imperfect http://php.indiana.edu/~jsoto/PreteritoImperfecto.html Online Verb Tutorial http://www.studyspanish.com/verbs/index.htm