Simple, isolated action that is totally completed in the past (happened once) Beginning or end of action Happened a specific

ic number of times Happened at or during a specific time Main action or event MOVED THE STORY FORWARD

Entonces De momento Aquella semana Anteayer En febrero El lunes Una vez

Anoche La semana pasada El 25 de julio De repente Por fin Una noche Durante

Regular verbs

Irregular verbs (no rules, you must memorize them) ser/ir

cantar yo cant t cantaste Ud. cant l/ella nosotros Uds. ellos/ellas cantamos cantaron

yo fui t fuiste Ud. fue l/ella

nosotros Uds. ellos/ellas

fuimos fueron

beber yo beb t bebiste Ud. bebi l/ella nosotros Uds. ellos/ellas bebimos bebieron

tener yo tuve t tuviste Ud. tuvo l/ella nosotros Uds. ellos/ellas tuvimos tuvieron

vivir yo viv t viviste Ud. vivi l/ella nosotros Uds. ellos/ellas vivimos vivieron

dormir yo dorm t dormiste Ud. durmi l/ella nosotros Uds. ellos/ellas dormimos durmieron

Repeated, habitual actions (used to, was, would) Descriptions in the past Ongoing actions (you dont know when they started or stopped) Telling time in the past Eran las dos

Age in the past Mental or physical state of being in the past

Verbs like: saber, conocer, querer, creer, estar, and tener are usually imperfect

Background information DOESNT MOVE THE STORY FORWARD

Generalmente Constantemente Siempre Frecuentemente Normalmente Todas las tardes Cada semana

De costumbre A menudo A veces Con frecuencia Por lo general Regularmente De vez en cuando

Regulares escuchar yo escuchaba t escuchabas Uds. ellos/ellas escuchaban nosotros escuchbamos

Irregulares ir yo iba t ibas Uds. ellos/ellas iban nosotros bamos

Ud. escuchaba l/ella

Ud. iba l/ella

vivir yo viva t vivas Uds. ellos/ellas vivan nosotros vivamos

ser yo era t eras Uds. ellos/ellas eran nosotros ramos

Ud. viva l/ella

Ud. era l/ella

beber yo beba t bebas Uds. ellos/ellas beban nosotros bebamos

ver yo vea t veas Uds. ellos/ellas vean nosotros veamos

Ud. bebas l/ella

Ud. vea l/ella

 Well,

it was Tuesday, and I was walking through the park. As I was following a path through the trees, I suddenly fell to the ground. I tripped over a rock. I laughed to myself because I was afraid someone would have seen me fall.

If we want to say was ___ing or used to do

We use the IMPERFECT

If we want to say did once, aka talked (with the _____ed)

We will use the PRETERITE

Something was happening, when an action interrupted it.

The ongoing action is imperfect, and the action

that interrupts is preterite.

In a long narrative.

The part that seems to be descriptive,

background info is imperfect, while actions and specific events are preterite.

While I was walking in Florida, I saw a gator (el caimn). Mientras caminaba en Florida, vi a un caimn.

(interruption of an ongoing action)

I left Florida, and went to Belize. It was sunny when I arrived! Sal de Florida, y fui a Belize. Haca mucho sol cuando llegu.
(action, weather, action)

A few Spanish verbs have different meanings in the imperfect and the preterite tenses: SABER CONOCER QUERER NO QUERER PODER

Imperfect knew Sabas que el concierto empezaba tarde?

Preterite found out, learned S, supe ayer que empezaba tarde.

Did you know that the concert began late?

Yes, I found out that it began late.

Imperfect knew (somebody) Pedro conoca muy bien a esa actriz.

Pedro knew that actress very well.

Preterite met (somebody) for the first time Luis la conoci el ao pasado.

Luis met her last year.

Imperfect wanted to Luis quera comprar las entradas hoy.

Luis wanted to buy the tickets today.

Preterite tried to, attempted to Yo quise comprarlas, pero me enferm.

I tried to buy them but I got sick.

Imperfect didnt want to No queran ver esa obra de teatro.

They didnt want to see that play.

Preterite refused to No quisieron ver esa obra de teatro.

They refused to see that play.

Imperfect was able to, could Ella poda aprender la letra de la cancin.

She was able to learn the letter of the song.

Preterite managed to, succeeded in Ella pudo aprender la letra de esa cancin.

She succeeded in learning the letter of that song.