El Pretérito vs. El Imperfecto
Here is an instructional video you can watch, take notes, then compare your notes with the written explanations on the rest of this page.
Preterite and Imperfect are both past tenses. It is important to keep their forms and uses separate or distinct. The preterite tense is used to communicate about an action in the past that is see or understood as completed (ate, saw, did, went).
The Imperfect tense is used to talk about those same past actions, but instead of being at the end of the action (completed), we are experiencing the action in the past in progress (was eating, was seeing, was doing, was going). We call this the past progressive.
The Imperfect tense is used to talk about those same past actions, but instead of being at the end of the action (completed), we are experiencing the action in the past in progress (was eating, was seeing, was doing, was going). We call this the past progressive.
When to use the Preterite...
When the action or event being communicated is viewed as:
- completed event (from beginning to the end)
- also refers to
Mi novio pagó la cuenta para nosotros.
My boyfriend paid the bill for us. Hoy lluvió toda la mañana. Today it rained all morning. Ellos jugaron en el parque. They played in the park. |
- the beginning of an even or action
Mis amigos empezaron a reír después de decirles el chiste.
My friends started laughing after telling them the joke. |
- the end of an event or action
Ya terminé mi tarea para hoy.
Now I finished my homework for the day. |
- interrupts what was going on at the time
Paco caminaba por la playa cuando vio el tiburón en el mar.
Paco was walking on the beach when he saw the shark in the sea. |
When to use the Imperfect...
When the action or event being communicated is viewed as:
- Habitual actions in the past (things you used to do, would do)
Nosotros siempre jugábamos con los vecinos cada verano.
We always played with the neighbors each summer. Marco jugaba fútbol para la escuela en la secundaria. Marco used to play soccer for the school in high school. Ana iba al río con su familia los veranos. Ana would go to the river with her family during the summers. |
- Descriptive background information for the story. Sets up the stage for the listener/reader.
La noche era oscura y no había nadie en el parque.
The night was dark and no one was in the park. |
- Communicate what was going on at the time (descriptive background) - also known as the past progressive
Llovía mientras nosotros conducíamos a la escuela.
It was raining while we were driving to the school. Nacho dejaba las papitas cuando Esqueleto le atacó. Nacho was leaving the chips when Esqueleto attacked him. |
- Communicating feelings in the past (part of the descriptive background)
Yo tenía mucho miedo en la casa embrujada.
I was afraid (scared) in the haunted house. Mi hermana estaba muy triste cuando pudimos traer el gato a las vacaciones. My sister was very sad when we could not bring the cat on vacation. |
- Referring to an individuals AGE
Yo era muy joven cuando mi madre murió.
I was very young when my mother died. Mi hermano tenía ocho años cuando se bautizó en la iglesia. My brother was eight years old when he was baptized in the church. |
Below are some examples contrasting the Preterit with the Imperfect. You will notice that with the Imperfect, there are several possible translations, each one unique depending on the context of the sentence.
Preterite
Yo fui a la escuela.
I went to school. (completed action, done) Él condujo al trabajo. He drove to work. (completed action, done) Nosotros miramos una película. We watched a movie. (completed action, done) Mi perro murió. My dog died. (end of the event) Mis padres salieron. My parents left. (done, gone) |
Imperfect
Yo iba a la escuela.
I was going to school. (incomplete action) I used to go to the school. (Habitual action) I would go to the school. (Habitual action) Él conducía al trabajo todos los días. He would drive to work everyday. (a regular occurrence in the past) Nosotros mirábamos una película. We were watching a movie. (incomplete action in past) Mi perro moría en la calle. My dog was dying in the street. (in progress of dying, still time to turn it around!) Mis padres salían para comer en el restaurante. My parents were going out to eat at the restaurant. (not gone yet, in the process of leaving) |
There are a group of verbs that have a slight change in their meaning when used either in the Preterit or the Imperfect.
Querer
Preterite: Ellos quisieron jugar fútbol
They wanted to play soccer. (Tried, and were unable to)
Preterite: Ellos no quisieron jugar fútbol.
They did not want (and refused) to play soccer.
Imperfect: Ellos querían jugar fútbol.
They wanted to play soccer. (No more than a desire
Tener
Preterite: Yo tuve miedo.
I got scared.
Imperfect: Yo tenía miedo.
I was scared.
Poder
Preterite: Ellos no pudieron encontrar al niño.
Imperfect: Ellos no podían encontrar al niño.
Saber
Preterite: Yo supe la verdad.
I found out the truth. (came to know)
Imperfect: Yo sabía la verdad.
I knew the truth. (the whole time)
Conocer
Preterite: Mi amigo conoció a Shakira.
My friend met Shakira.
Imperfect: Mi amigo conocía a Shakira.
I was scared knew Shakira.
Querer
Preterite: Ellos quisieron jugar fútbol
They wanted to play soccer. (Tried, and were unable to)
Preterite: Ellos no quisieron jugar fútbol.
They did not want (and refused) to play soccer.
Imperfect: Ellos querían jugar fútbol.
They wanted to play soccer. (No more than a desire
Tener
Preterite: Yo tuve miedo.
I got scared.
Imperfect: Yo tenía miedo.
I was scared.
Poder
Preterite: Ellos no pudieron encontrar al niño.
Imperfect: Ellos no podían encontrar al niño.
Saber
Preterite: Yo supe la verdad.
I found out the truth. (came to know)
Imperfect: Yo sabía la verdad.
I knew the truth. (the whole time)
Conocer
Preterite: Mi amigo conoció a Shakira.
My friend met Shakira.
Imperfect: Mi amigo conocía a Shakira.
I was scared knew Shakira.