El Pretérito Entero

Here you can watch the instructional video and take notes on the concept, afterward compare your notes with the written explanation found below. 

How to form the Preterit Tense

Similar to the other tenses, the first step in communicating effectively in the past, is to first know the verb endings that place the action in the past.  The preterit tense forms are formed the same way as the present tense endings.  You take of the -AR, -ER, -IR endings and replace them with the endings for the Preterit Tense. See the image below. ​
Examples with Regular AR verbs:
Yo   +   hablar   =    hablé
Tú   +   hablar   =   hablaste
​Él/Ella/Ud.  +  hablar   =   habló
Nosotros   +   hablar   =   hablamos
​Vosotros   +   hablar   =   hablasteis
​Ellos/Ellas/Uds.   +   hablar   =   hablaron
​
Examples of Regular ER/IR verbs: 
Yo + comer =  comí
​Tú + comer = comiste
​Él/Ella/Ud. + comer = comió

Yo + vivir =​ viví
Tú + vivir = viviste
Él/Ella/Ud. + vivir = vivió
Nosotros + comer = comimos
​Vosotros + comer = comisteis
​Ellos/Ellas/Uds. + comer = comieron

Nosotros + vivir = vivimos
Vosotros + vivir = vivisteis
Ellos/Ellas/Uds. + vivir = vivieron

What is the function of the Preterit Tense?

 The preterit refers to the beginning or the end of a past action or to the action as a completed whole  The mental position of the observer is beyond the point to which reference is made.  Its usual equivalent will be the simple past: 
hablé      I spoke, I did speak; I talked, I did talk
comí       I ate, I did eat
viví         I lived, I did live
The preterit tense, in telling stories or events in the past, carries the narration and marks the passage of time.  They are viewed by the communicator as a completed event in reference to the past.  
Ella caminó a la tienda y compró leche. 
She walked to the store and bought milk. 

Ellos comenzaron el examen a las tres de la tarde. 
They began the test at three o'clock this afternoon. 

Él no vivió en México, vivió en Guatemala. 
He did not live in Mexico, he lived in Guatemala. 
To be more precise, here three ways in which the Preterit Tense is viewed and used in the language. 
1) Preterit is used to reference an event or Period beginning and ending.
Viajamos desde la Ciudad de México hasta Tulancingo.
  We traveled from Mexico City to (as far as) Tulancigo. 

Los bancos estuvieron cerrados toda una semana.
  The banks were closed one whole week.

Fuimos amigos durante toda aquella época.
  We were friends during that entire period. 

Tuve que trabajar. 
I had to work (and did).
2) Reference to Completion, or ending
Terminé la tarea. 
I finished the homework. 

Mis padres estuvieron aquí hasta las nueve. 
My parents were here until nine.

Siempre dije que así sería. 
I always said it would be like that.  
(I said it often during the period ending at the moment of speaking.)
3)  Reference to Beginning
Ella estuvo aquí a las siete en punto. 
She was here at seven sharp. 

La conocí la semana pasada. 
I met (came to know) her last week.

Y dijo Dios:  Sea la luz; y fue la luz. 
And God said:  Let there be light; and there was light. 
Here is access to StudySpanish.com where you can practice the conjugations for the Preterit Regulars, Stem-changers and the Spell Changers. On the right you can choose to