How to decide which tense to use, preterite or imperfect

1. Uses of the Imperfect &
Preterite
 We use the imperfect to describe habitual or
repeated events in the past.
 We use the preterite to describe a particular or
specific event.

2. Uses of the Imperfect & Preterite
 There are certain words that can help us decide:
 The imperfect is often used with expressions like:
 Siempre
 Los sábados
 Todos los días
 A menudo
**These all imply repetition
Always
On Saturdays
Everyday
Often

3. Uses of the Imperfect &
Preterite
 The preterite is often used with expressions like:
 Una vez
 El sábado pasado
 Un día
 Esta mañana
 Anoche
**These imply the event happened once
Once, one time
Last Saturday
One day
This morning
Last night

4. Uses of the Imperfect &
Preterite
 We say “used to” + verb a lot in English, to
express something happened repeatedly in the
past. With this, we’d use the imperfect.
 Ex: Carlos used to spend (pasar) the summer in
Mexico.
Carlo s pasaba e lve rano e n Mé xico .
We used to play tennis.
Jug ábam o s alte nis.

5. Uses of the pret. & imperf.
 The preterite is used to describe a well-
defined action or event which happened at a
specific point in time.
 The imperfect is used to describe ongoing
actions or events. In English, we say “was
(were) +…ing”.

6. Uses of the pret. & imperf.
 Examples:
Cuando Carlos llamó…
…yo estudiaba.

7. Uses of the pret. & imperf.
Carmen llegó…
…mientras nos desayunábamos.

8. Uses of the pret. & imperf.
Anita sacó una foto…
…de unos niños que jugaban al fútbol.

9. Preterite vs. Imperfect
 The preterite is used to describe actions in the
past.
 El año pasado mi hermano visitó México.
 Vi una escuela grande.
 Vi la escuela muy bien.

10. Preterite vs. Imperfect
 The imperfect is used to describe specific
circumstances:
 Time
 Era el diez de abril.
 Eran las ocho de la noche.
 Weather
 Hacía mal tiempo.
 Llovía.

11. Preterite vs. Imperfect
 Location
 Yo iba por la Avenida Libertad.
 Yo estaba en la escuela.
 Age
 El profesor tenía entre treinta y treinta y cinco años.
 Physical Appearance
 Era un hombre alto.
 Llevaba un súeter gris.

12. Preterite vs. Imperfect
 Emotional State
 Estaba nervioso.
 Attitude
 Él quería aprender español.
 Ella tenía ganas de conocer México.

13. Preterite vs. Imperfect
 Note the past tense forms of hay:
 Hubo una fiesta.
The re was a party. (specific action)
 Había muchas personas.
The re we re m any pe o ple . (circumstance)

14. Preterite vs. Imperfect
 When we speak in the past, it’s either a
continuous or isolated action
 We use the to describe ongoing actions
(actions/events that were in progress during a certain
period of time)
 We use the to describe isolated actions
(actions which occurred at a specific moment in time)
imperfect
preterite

15. Preterite vs. Imperfect
 Translate the following sentences:
 When I was a child, I didn’t speak Spanish.
 Last night, I spoke Spanish with Ramón.
 Julio had a CD player.
Cuando era niño/a, no hablaba español.
Anoche, yo hablé español con Ramón.
Julio tenía un tocadiscos.

16. Preterite vs. Imperfect
 Julio sold his CD player.
 Anita was my best friend.
 Anita left to live in México.
Julio vendió su tocadiscos.
Anita era mi mejor amiga.
Anita se fue a vivir en México.

17. Preterite vs. Imperfect
 In the summer we used to go to the beach.
 Yesterday we didn’t go to the beach.
En el verano, íbamos a la playa.
Ayer, no fuimos a la playa.

18. Preterite vs. Imperfect
To Describe: Use:
A specific
action or event
completed in the
past.
Yo visité Puerto Rico.
Preterite

19. Preterite vs. Imperfect
To Describe: Use:
The circumstances
of a past action
or event
Cuando tenía 16 años…
Imperfect

20. Preterite vs. Imperfect
To Describe: Use:
An ongoing past
action or event
Mis primos vivía en San Juan entonces.
Imperfect

21. Preterite vs. Imperfect
To Describe: Use:
A repeated past
action or event
Ellos me invitaban todos los veranos.
Imperfect