1. Pretérito Vs. Imperfecto
Two Past Tenses

2. El Pretérito We use preterite for EVENTS
The chain of events in a story line
Distinct events, not matter how many times they have happened in the past
One time events

3. El Pretérito
You may see these verbs in the preterite more because they tend to be isolated or one-time events
Nacerse – being born is a one-time event
Morir – dying is a one-time event
Ir – going somewhere is normally part of a storyline

4. El Pretérito We use preterite with ACTIONS
Actions within a defined period of time
Isolated actions
Interrupting actions
(that disrupt something ongoing)
Actions that did not happen

5. El Pretérito
You may see these phrases setting up preterite isolated actions:
Un día…
Una vez…
Por un momento…

6. El Pretérito
You may notice that the body paragraphs of a story are mostly in the preterite because they tell us the events in the storyline.
If you had to mark your verbs on a timeline, preterite verbs would make dots on a timeline – each one is an isolated event.
Preterite verbs are the actions that hold a story hold together – the plot points.

7. El Imperfecto We use imperfect for REPEATED ACTIONS “used to ___”
“would ___” in the past
Habitual actions
Actions over an indefinite period of time

8. El Imperfecto You may see these key phrases Todos los sábados…
Cada semana…
Por mucho tiempo…

9. El Imperfecto We use imperfect to SET THE SCENE
“was ___ing” or “were ___ing”
“was going to ___”
Weather
Time
Description of a scene
An on-going action that gets interrupted

10. El Imperfecto
You may see these verbs in imperfect more than others because they set the scene:
Ser (with time)
Hacer (with weather phrases)

11. El Imperfecto We use imperfect to DESCRIBE Age Physical Appearance
Feelings, Emotions, and Beliefs
States of Mind/Body (tener hambre)

12. El Imperfecto
You may see these verbs in imperfect more than others because they are often used to describe:
Ser (with descriptions)
Tener (with eye color, hair color, age)
Llamarse (to say someone’s name)

13. El Imperfecto
You may notice that the first paragraph of a story is often in the imperfect because it sets the scene.
If you had to mark your verbs on a timeline, imperfect verbs could not fit into a single dot on a timeline – these are things that go on for awhile.
Imperfect verbs are the things that make a story juicy – descriptions, feelings, what was going on in the background, etc.

14. El Imperfecto OPA TWA FEB This might work as a partial summary:
“Oprah took a TWA flight in February”
Outward Physical Appearance
Time Weather Age
Feelings Emotions Beliefs

15. Meaning Changers Imperfecto Pretérito Saber = to know something
Conocer = to know someone
Haber = there existed
Pretérito
Saber = to find something out
Conocer = to meet someone
Haber = there occurred

16. ¿Pretérito o Imperfecto?
I swam yesterday
I used to swim.

17. ¿Pretérito o Imperfecto?
I swam yesterday
PRETÉRITO
I used to swim.
IMPERFECTO

18. ¿Pretérito o Imperfecto?
I went to the zoo on a field trip.
As a kid, I went to the zoo a lot.

19. ¿Pretérito o Imperfecto?
I went to the zoo on a field trip.
PRETÉRITO
As a kid, I went to the zoo a lot.
IMPERFECTO

20. ¿Pretérito o Imperfecto?
I remember taking that class. I was so confused.
For a moment, I got confused.

21. ¿Pretérito o Imperfecto?
I remember taking that class. I was so confused.
IMPERFECTO
For a moment, I got confused.
PRETÉRITO

22. ¿Pretérito o Imperfecto?
I knew my husband for 5 years before we married.
I met my husband in dance class.

23. ¿Pretérito o Imperfecto?
I knew my husband for 5 years before we married.
IMPERFECTO
I met my husband in dance class.
PRETÉRITO

24. ¿Pretérito o Imperfecto?
I found out that we had a test.
I knew that we had a test

25. ¿Pretérito o Imperfecto?
I found out that we had a test.
PRETÉRITO
I knew that we had a test
IMPERFECTO

26. ¿Pretérito o Imperfecto?
There was a fire drill yesterday.
There were a lot of kids standing outside.

27. ¿Pretérito o Imperfecto?
There was a fire drill yesterday.
PRETÉRITO
There were a lot of kids standing outside.
IMPERFECTO

28. ¿Pretérito o Imperfecto?
Once upon a time a baby was born.
His name was Josué, he had lots of dark hair, and he smiled all the time.

29. ¿Pretérito o Imperfecto?
Once upon a time a baby was born.
PRETÉRITO
His name was Josué, he had lots of dark hair, and he smiled all the time.
IMPERFECTO

30. ¿Pretérito o Imperfecto?
My grandma was named Elizabeth. She was an artist, she loved her dog, and she watched birds from her deck.
She died in 2006.

31. ¿Pretérito o Imperfecto?
My grandma was named Elizabeth. She was an artist, she loved her dog, and she watched birds from her deck.
IMPERFECTO
She died in 2006.
PRETÉRITO

32. ¿Pretérito o Imperfecto?
Once upon a time there was a princess named Anna. She loved snow and played with her sister every day.
One day her sister accidentally hit her with a magic spell and Anna froze. Her parents heard the commotion and came to help.

33. ¿Pretérito o Imperfecto?
Once upon a time there was a princess named Anna. She loved snow and played with her sister every day.
IMPERFECTO
One day her sister accidentally hit her with a magic spell and Anna froze. Her parents heard the commotion and came to help.
PRETÉRITO

34. ¿Pretérito o Imperfecto?
This morning I work up, brushed my teeth, showered, and went to work.
This morning I was so grumpy. My head hurt and I was so tired and I just wanted to stay in bed.

35. ¿Pretérito o Imperfecto?
This morning I work up, brushed my teeth, showered, and went to work.
PRETÉRITO
This morning I was so grumpy. My head hurt and I was so tired and I just wanted to stay in bed.
IMPERFECTO