Pretérito vs. Imperfecto: Spanish Past Tenses Explained
Pretérito
Uses
- Interruptions
- Isolated events
- One-time actions
- Main actions
- Actions with a clear beginning/end
- Specific completed actions
Signal Words
- ayer
- anteayer
- anoche
- una vez
- un día
- el lunes
- el año pasado
- a las 10:00
Example
- Mi mamá entró en mi cuarto.
- My mom entered my room.
Imperfecto
Uses
- Descriptions
- Ongoing actions
- Habitual/repeated actions
- Time
- Age
- Weather
- Emotions
- Mental processes
- Background information
Signal Words
- siempre
- cada vez
- cada verano
- todos los viernes
- todos los fines de semana
- todas las Navidades
Example
- Hablaba con mi amiga.
- I was talking with my friend.
How to Think About It
Imperfect = Background
- what was happening
- descriptions
- ongoing situations
Pretérito = Spotlight Action
- what suddenly happened
- completed event
- interruption
Example
- Era muy tarde cuando mi
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