Imperfecto o pretérito
preterite imperfect repeated continuing completed is used to describe what used to happen or to show a or action in the past. Is used to indicate that the action was repeated continuing completed
Yo estudié ayer con mi amigo. Yo estudiaba con mi amigo los domingos.
More uses of the imperfect
When talking about the past, use the imperfect to set the scene. If two things are going at the same time, use the conjunction mientras(while) to join them.
mientras mis amigos comían. Yo tocaba el piano mientras mis amigos comían.
Manuel jugaba a los videojuegos mientras Paco dormía.
pretérito en una oración... Si tienes imperfecto y pretérito en una oración...
Imperfect and Preterite in one sentence The is used for the action that was going on when something else happened. The is used for the completed action the action that interrupted what was going on. imperfect tense preterite tense
Mi mamá cocinaba cuando mi papá llegó.
Yo estudiaba cuando alguien rompió la ventana. I was studying when someone broke the window.
The imperfect is often used after the preterite of decir with que to report someone said.
El dijo que no le gustaba el regalo.
Ellos dijeron que querían salir.
The imperfect is used in the following situations: For actions that were repeated habitually For actions that "set the stage" for another past action For telling time For stating one's age For mental states (usually) For physical sensations (usually) To describe the characteristics of people, things or conditions
The preterite is used in the following situations: For actions that can be viewed as single events For actions that were repeated a specific number of times For actions that occurred during a specific period of time To state the beginning or the end of an action
to talk about situations preterite imperfect to talk about situations what things were like what was going on It doesn’t say when the situation began or ended an event that began or ended while something was going on, or that interrupted what was in progress