1. Preterit vs. Imperfect PRETERITE IMPERFECT
Some verbs have one meaning when used in the preterit and
another when used in the imperfect. Look at the following:
PRETERITE IMPERFECT
1. conocer
met
knew
2. saber
knew
found out
was able (could)
3. poder
managed
wanted
4. querer
intended
5. no querer
refused
did not want

2. Examples: 6. tener got had 7. estar got/was (specific time) was
(unspecified time)
8. tener que
had to
(but did not)
had to
(but did)
was
(specified time & ended)
was
(unspecified time)
9. ser
Examples:
A. Quise alcanzar mis metas.
(I intended to achieve my goals.)

3. Quería alcanzar mis metas.
(I wanted to achieve my goals.)
B. Conociste a Marta en la escuela secundaria.
(You met Martha in high school.)
Conocías a Marta en la escuela secundaria.
(You knew Martha in high school.)
C. Carlos no quiso discriminar a la gente.
(Carlos refused to discriminate against the people.)
Carlos no quería discriminar a la gente.
(Carlos didn’t want to discriminate against people.)