This document compares and contrasts the preterite and imperfect tenses in Spanish. The imperfect tense expresses ongoing or habitual past actions, while the preterite tense expresses completed past actions that occurred at a specific time. Some verbs have special meanings when used in the preterite versus the imperfect. Verbs related to mental activities are usually in the imperfect due to their ongoing nature. Certain words and phrases indicate whether to use the preterite or imperfect tense.

1. Preterite v. Imperfect
A. El imperfecto. The fundamental value of the imperfect is to express continuance, an action that was
repeated. See your handout on uses of the imperfect for review.
B. El pretérito (past definite) focuses more on completed action.
1. Expresses action that : began at a specific time in the past
ended at a specific time in the past
2. Expresses an action that interrupted an ongoing action
C. Verbs with special meanings in the preterite. In Chapter 1 we learned that some verbs, when used in
the preterite, carry a special meaning.
Imperfect Preterite
Yo quería ir. I wanted to go Yo quise ir. I tried to go
Yo no quería ir. I didn't want to go Yo no quise ir. I refused to go
poder - to be able, can poder - to manage
no poder - couldn't
saber - to know (a fact) saber - to find out or learn about something
D. Verbs used mainly in the imperfect. Verbs dealing with mental activities or conditions (because of the
continuance and duration involved) are most often expressed in the imperfect.
Verbs found most often in the Imperfect Tense
creer - to think; to believe querer - to want*
desear - to want; desire saber - to know*
pensar - to think tener ganas de - to feel like
preferir - to prefer
* Remember, these verbs have special meaning in the
preterite
E. Indicators of the preterite and the imperfect.
The use of a particular word or phrase can signal us to use the preterite or the imperfect. By learning these
words and phrases, we can choose the correct tense.
Imperfect Preterite
cada año every year el año pasado last year
todas las mañanas (las every morning (afternoon esta mañana (esta tarde, this morning (this
tardes, las noches) …) esta noche) afternoon …)
todos los días every day hoy today
todos los lunes (etc.) every Monday ayer yesterday
todos los veranos (otoños, every summer anoche last night
inviernos, primaveras)
de vez en cuando sometimes el verano pasado last summer
un verano one summer
muchas veces many times una vez (dos veces) once (twice)
siempre; casi siempre always; almost always de repente suddenly
nunca; casi nunca never; almost never
con frecuencia often
a menudo often
mientras while
http://dlc.k12.ar.us PRET_vs_IMPER
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