Introduction to Preterite and Imperfect
Spanish has two main past tenses used to describe actions that happened in the past: the preterite (pretérito) and the imperfect (imperfecto). Both tenses refer to past events, but they are used in different contexts depending on the nature of the action, its duration, and its relation to other past events.
Mastering when to use the preterite versus the imperfect is essential for clear and accurate storytelling in Spanish.
When to Use the Preterite
The preterite is used to describe completed actions that happened at a specific point in the past. These actions have a clear beginning and end, and are often seen as single events or sequences of events.
Common uses include:
- Actions completed in the past
- Events that happened once or a specific number of times
- Actions that interrupt ongoing events
Ayer compré un libro.
Ah-yehr kohm-PRÉH oon LEE-broh.
Yesterday, I bought a book.
Llegó a las ocho y se fue a las diez.
Yeh-GOH ah las OH-choh ee seh fweh ah las dyehs.
He arrived at eight and left at ten.
When to Use the Imperfect
The imperfect is used to describe ongoing or habitual past actions without a definite beginning or end. It also sets the scene or provides background information in a narrative.
Common uses include:
- Habitual or repeated actions in the past
- Descriptions of people, places, or situations
- Actions in progress in the past (background actions)
- Telling time, age, or feelings in the past
Cuando era niño, jugaba en el parque todos los días.
KWAHN-doh EH-rah NEE-nyoh, hoo-GAH-bah en el PAR-keh TOH-dohs los DEE-ahs.
When I was a child, I used to play in the park every day.
Eran las cinco de la tarde.
EH-rahn las SEEN-koh deh lah TAR-deh.
It was five in the afternoon.
Conjugation Tables
Here are the conjugation patterns for regular verbs in the preterite and imperfect tenses.
Preterite Conjugation
| Pronoun | -AR Verbs | -ER/-IR Verbs |
|---|---|---|
| yo | hablé | comí |
| tú | hablaste | comiste |
| él/ella/usted | habló | comió |
| nosotros | hablamos | comimos |
| vosotros | hablasteis | comisteis |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | hablaron | comieron |
Imperfect Conjugation
| Pronoun | -AR Verbs | -ER/-IR Verbs |
|---|---|---|
| yo | hablaba | comía |
| tú | hablabas | comías |
| él/ella/usted | hablaba | comía |
| nosotros | hablábamos | comíamos |
| vosotros | hablabais | comíais |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | hablaban | comían |
Key Differences Between Preterite and Imperfect
Understanding the difference between these two tenses is easier when you consider the following points:
- Preterite: Focuses on actions with a clear start and end.
- Imperfect: Focuses on ongoing, habitual, or background actions.
Compare these examples:
Estudié por dos horas.
Es-too-DYÉ por dos OH-ras.
I studied for two hours. (Completed action)
Estudiaba cuando sonó el teléfono.
Es-too-DYAH-bah KWAHN-doh soh-NÓ el teh-LEH-foh-noh.
I was studying when the phone rang. (Ongoing background action)
Practice Examples
Try to identify whether the preterite or imperfect is used and why.
Siempre caminábamos por el parque después de la escuela.
SYEM-preh kah-mee-NAH-bah-mos por el PAR-keh dehs-PWÉS deh lah es-KWEH-lah.
We always walked through the park after school.
La semana pasada, fuimos a la playa.
Lah seh-MAH-nah pah-SAH-dah, FWEE-mos ah lah PLAH-yah.
Last week, we went to the beach.
Ella leía un libro cuando entré.
EH-yah leh-EE-ah oon LEE-broh KWAHN-doh en-TRÉ.
She was reading a book when I entered.
El concierto empezó a las nueve.
El kohn-SYEHR-toh em-peh-SÓ ah las NWEH-beh.
The concert started at nine.
Tips for Remembering Rules
Here are some helpful tips to distinguish when to use the preterite or imperfect:
- Use the preterite for actions that happened once or were completed.
- Use the imperfect for habitual actions or descriptions in the past.
- Look for time expressions: Words like ayer (yesterday), anoche (last night), or de repente (suddenly) often signal the preterite.
- Words like siempre (always), a menudo (often), and mientras (while) usually indicate the imperfect.
- Remember the story context: Background information typically uses the imperfect, while the main events use the preterite.
With practice, choosing between these tenses will become intuitive.