Preterit versus Imperfect (El pretérito versus el imperfecto) In Spanish, the use of the preterit and the imperfect reflects the way the speaker views the action or event being expressed. Use the imperfect to describe and the preterit to tell what happened.
Criteria for the use of the preterit 1.An action that the speaker views as terminated or completed. Alfredo salió para España ayer. Me casé en Berta compró un carro nuevo el año pasado. V I got married in Alfredo left for Spain yesterday. Berta bought a new car last year.
2.An action or state that occupies a limited period of time. Lorena estudió por dos horas. Estuvimos en Costa Rica todo el mes de julio. Los niños pasaron todo el día en el parque. Lorena studied for two hours. The children spent the whole day in the park. We were in Costa Rica the entire month of July. Criteria for the use of the preterit
3.A past action with a specific and indicated beginning or ending. El concierto comenzó a las siete. Paró de llover a las cinco de la tarde. Empecé a trabajar en el proyecto esta mañana. The concert began at seven. I began to work on the project this morning. It stopped raining at five in the afternoon. Criteria for the use of the preterit
4.Completed events that occurred in a series. Carlos entró en la farmacia, vio a su ex-novia y salió inmediatamente. V Carlos entered the Pharmacy, saw his ex-girlfriend, and left immediately. V V
Criteria for the use of the preterit 5. Changes in mental, physical, and emotional conditions or states in the past. Ana se puso nerviosa cuando vio al chico. Ana became nervous when she saw the guy. Tú fuiste muy tímido hasta que nació tu hermano. You were very shy until your brother was born.
Criteria for the use of the preterit 6.Weather and scenes as events or within specific time parameters. Ayer fue un día horrible. Llovió e hizo mucho viento. Yesterday was a horrible day. It rained and was very windy.
Criteria for the use of the imperfect 1.Description of what was happening in the past, usually in relation to another event or at a given time, with no reference to the beginning or end of an action. Rosa hablaba mientras miraba la televisión. Rosa was talking while she was watching TV.
Criteria for the use of the imperfect 2.Habitual actions or events in the past. Pedro comía en ese restaurante todos los sábados. Pedro used to eat at that restaurant every Saturday. Ana iba siempre de viaje a Costa Rica. Ana used to travel to Costa Rica all the time.
Criteria for the use of the imperfect Eran las once de la noche. It was eleven o’clock at night. Paco tenía diez años cuando aprendió a nadar. Paco was ten years old when he learned to swim. Time of day and age in the past.
Criteria for the use of the imperfect 5.Sets the scene (weather, activities in progress, etc.) for other actions and events that take place. Hacía muy mal tiempo y llovía. Yo leía en mi cuarto y esperaba la llamada. The weather was bad and it was raining. I was reading in my room and waiting for the call.
Criteria for the use of the imperfect Conversábamos en el restaurante cuando el mesero nos sirvió la comida. We were talking in the restaurant when the waiter served us the food. The preterit and the imperfect tenses are often used together. In the following examples, the imperfect describes what was happening or in progress when another action (in the preterit) interrupted and took place. Las chicas salían de la tienda cuando Jorge las vio. The girls were leaving the store when Jorge saw them.