The preterite and the imperfect

THE PRETERITE TENSE

The preterite tense is a past tense that situates anaction or change of state prior to the time of speaking. The emphasis is on the following:

1. either a one time occurrence or something that happeneda limited number of times, e.g. once, twice, three times.

2. the fact that the action either began or ended in the past.

3. the fact that the action or change in state happened at a specific time, e.g. last Tuesday at 7:35 a.m. (even though the time may not be mentioned)

THE PRETERITE TENSE

Use of the preterite ALWAYS indicates thata change in the state of affairs has occurred.

Your car was fine, but then it wasn’t. You weren’t at schoolbut then you were (although late).

Ayer yo tuve un accidente y llegué tarde a la escuela.

THE IMPERFECT TENSE

The imperfect tense is characterized by a lackof change simply describing what was, what washappening, or what generally happened overlong periods of time.

This is just a descriptive state of what life was like when I was ten.

Cuando yo tenía diez años, vivía en Texas con mi familia.

USES OF THE PRETERITE TENSE

1. Actions over and completed in the past.

I went shopping yesterday.

Fui de compras ayer.

2. Actions begun or ended in the past.

The movie began at 8 pm. La película empezó a las ocho de la noche.She turned out the light when she left.Apagó la luz cuando salió

3. Actions repeated a specific number of times

I called her three times last week.

La llamé tres veces la semana pasada.

4. To narrate a series of past actions.

I got up, cleaned the house and went tothe movies.

Me levanté, limpié la casa y fui al cine.

5. Changes of mental or physical states.

I became tired at the party.

Estuve cansado en la fiesta.

Tuve mucho miedo.

I got scared.

1. To express habitual past actions

I always came home after school.

Siempre venía a casa después de la escuela.

USES OF THE IMPERFECT TENSE

I used to like to play soccer on Sundays.

Me gustaba jugar al fútbol los domingos.

2. Actions that were happening in the past.

We were singing out loud.

Cantábamos en voz alta.

3. Mental, physical, and emotional states in the past.

I was afraid of the snake.

Tenía miedo de la culebra.

We were sad when our friend left.

Estábamos tristes cuando salió nuestroamigo.

4. Description in the past.

The house was red and had a white door.

La casa era roja y tenía una puerta blanca.

5. To tell time and dates and talk about seasons.

It was 8:30 am.

Eran las ocho y media de la mañana.

It was fall when we went back to school.

Era el otoño cuando regresamos a la escuela.

The preterite and imperfect used together:

To describe what was happening in the backgroundor what was going on when it was interrupted byanother action.

While I was studying (While I studied) the fire alarm went off.

Mientras estudiaba, sonó la alarma contraincendios.

Me levanté de un salto y miré el reloj.

I jumped up and looked at the clock

Eran las 11:30. Salí corriendo de mi cuarto.

It was 11:30. I left running from my room.

En el pasillo había más estudiantes.

In the hall there were more students.

La alarma seguía sonando.

The alarm continued ringing.

Bajamos las escaleras, y, al llegar a la calle,

We went down the stairs and, on arriving on the street,

me di cuenta de que hacía un poco de frío.

I realized that it was a little cold.

No tenía un suéter. De repente, la alarma dejó de

I didn’t have a sweater. Suddenly, the alarm

sonar. No había ningún incendio.

stopped ringing. There was no fire.

QUERER, PODER, SABER, CONOCERhave different meanings when used in thepreterite or imperfect:

QUERER

I wanted to go with you. (description of desire)

Quería ir contigo.

I tried to go with you (but failed) (preterite)

Quise ir contigo. I refused to go with you. (preterite)No quise ir contigo.

PODER

Ann could do it. (general ability)

Ana podía hacerlo.

Ann could not do it. (referring to specific event) Ana no pudo hacerlo.

Ann succeeded in doing it. (specific event)Ana pudo hacerlo

SABER

Ernesto knew the truth. (description of knowledge)

Ernesto sabía la verdad.

Ernesto finally found out the truth. (change of state)

Por fin Ernesto supo la verdad.

CONOCER

I already knew Andrew. (description of knowledge)

Ya conocía a Andrés.

I met Andrew at the party. (change of state)

Conocí a Andrés en la fiesta.

Adverbios que generalmente coinciden conel pretérito y el imperfecto.

Preterito

De repente

inmediatamente

Por fin

Imperfecto

Todos los días

A veces

A menudo

Con frecuenciaUna vez

PRÁCTICA

Completa las siguientes oraciones con el pretéritoo el imperfecto:

1. Cuando yo era niño nunca_____________(querer)limpiar mi cuarto

quería

2. Mi amigo____________(poder) pasar la aspiradoracuando _____________(tener) siete años.

podíatenía

3. Mi profesor________________(conocer) el mejorsupermercado en la ciudad.

conocía

4. El mes pasado, Ana______________(saber) que nosería aceptado.

5. Anoche_______________(querer) ir de compras alcentro comercial, pero___________(ser) muy tarde.

6. Finalmente, alguien_____________(poder) ayudarmea cambiar el foco de la cocina.

supo, sabía

quería, quise era

pudo

7. Mi hermano_____________(saber) la receta demi abuela.

sabía, supo

8. Ayer, Fernando no_______________(querer) contestar el teléfono.

10.Mi hermana_______________(conocer) al nuevocartero.

conocía, conoció

quería, quiso

9. No______________( poder) venir a ayudarte anoche porque_____________(estar) muy enferma.

pudeestaba