Preterite vs. Imperfect

Summary: The Preterite “-AR” VERBS -ó -aste -é -amos -asteis -aron

Summary: The Preterite “-ER/-IR” VERBS -ió -iste -í -imos -isteis -ieron

Summary: The Preterite There are 4 irregulars: There are 4 irregulars: ir / ser (fui…) ir / ser (fui…) dar (no accents/wrong endings) dar (no accents/wrong endings) ver (no accents) ver (no accents)

Summary: The Preterite certain “-ar” verbs have a spelling change in the “yo” form only certain “-ar” verbs have a spelling change in the “yo” form only -gar, -car, -zar -gar, -car, -zar g  guc  quz  c g  guc  quz  c

Summary: The Preterite -er verbs have a spelling change in the sandal only when the last letter of the stem is a vowel. -er verbs have a spelling change in the sandal only when the last letter of the stem is a vowel. i  y i  y Also, in the sandal add a “y” everywhere else accent the “i” Also, in the sandal add a “y” everywhere else accent the “i”

Summary: The Preterite -ir verbs have a spelling change in the sandal only when the last letter of the stem is a vowel. (-uir) -ir verbs have a spelling change in the sandal only when the last letter of the stem is a vowel. (-uir) i  y i  y No changes in accents outside the sandal. No changes in accents outside the sandal.

Summary: The Preterite -ir verbs also have a stem change in the sandal of verbs that normally stem change in the present tense. -ir verbs also have a stem change in the sandal of verbs that normally stem change in the present tense. e  i and o  u e  i and o  u

Summary: The Preterite There are also a group of verbs that have “special stems” with a “special” set of endings. There are also a group of verbs that have “special stems” with a “special” set of endings. None of these verbs have accents. None of these verbs have accents.

Summary: The Imperfect -aba -ar endings -abas -ábamos -abais -aba-aban

Summary: The Imperfect -ía -er, -ir endings -ías -íamos -íais -ía-ían

Summary: The Imperfect There are only three irregulars: There are only three irregulars: ir / ser / ver ir / ser / ver There aren’t any stem or spelling changes! There aren’t any stem or spelling changes!

ir - to go iba iban ibais íbamos ibas iba

ser – to be era eran erais éramos eras era

ver – to see veía veían veíais veíamos veías veía

Preterite vs. Imperfect: Part I When and how often? The preterite describes actions that occurred at a specific time in the past. The preterite describes actions that occurred at a specific time in the past. Yo hice la tarea anoche. Yo hice la tarea anoche. It describes actions/events repeated a specified number of times or that started and ended within a specific time frame. It describes actions/events repeated a specified number of times or that started and ended within a specific time frame. Yo esquié 7 veces el invierno pasado. Yo esquié 7 veces el invierno pasado.

Preterite vs. Imperfect: Part I When and how often? Beginning and ends of actions Beginning and ends of actions Empezó a llover. Empezó a llover. Summary: Summary: Completed Events / Actions Completed Events / Actions Specific Times Specific Times Beginning/End Beginning/End

Preterite vs. Imperfect: Part I Key Words for the Preterite: hoy hoy esta mañana esta mañana ayer, anteayer, ayer, anteayer, anoche, anteanoche, anoche, anteanoche, el año/més/semana/el fin de semana pasado/a, el año/més/semana/el fin de semana pasado/a, un día, otra día, un día, otra día,

Preterite vs. Imperfect: Part I Key Words for the Preterite: de repente, de pronto, de repente, de pronto, finalmente, finalmente, una vez, dos veces, una vez, dos veces, el catorce de octubre, el lunes el catorce de octubre, el lunes hace + time expression (“ago”) hace + time expression (“ago”) “used to” won’t make sense “used to” won’t make sense

Preterite vs. Imperfect: Part I When and how often? The imperfect describes actions that “used to” take place. The imperfect describes actions that “used to” take place. De niña yo saltaba a la cuerda mucho. De niña yo saltaba a la cuerda mucho. It implies repeated or habitual actions or events. It implies repeated or habitual actions or events. Para la Navidad siempre abríamos regalos en la casa de mis abuelos. Para la Navidad siempre abríamos regalos en la casa de mis abuelos.

Preterite vs. Imperfect: Part I Key Words for the Imperfect: a menudo a menudo a veces, muchas veces a veces, muchas veces de vez en cuando de vez en cuando frecuentemente/ con frecuencia frecuentemente/ con frecuencia con regularidad con regularidad normalmente normalmente

Key Words for the Imperfect: siempre & nunca siempre & nunca todos los días / cada día todos los días / cada día generalmente/ por lo general generalmente/ por lo general de niño de niño en mi niñez en mi niñez una vez a la semana/ al día una vez a la semana/ al día Indicates repeated actions. “used to” makes sense Indicates repeated actions. “used to” makes sense

Preterite vs. Imperfect: Part II The preterite expresses the main action, which may interrupt a background activity. The preterite expresses the main action, which may interrupt a background activity. It expresses a specific past action that happened at one point while the other action was in progress. It expresses a specific past action that happened at one point while the other action was in progress. Yo dormía cuando mi amigo llamó por teléfono. Yo dormía cuando mi amigo llamó por teléfono. I was sleeping when my friend called… I was sleeping when my friend called…

Preterite vs. Imperfect: Part II You can also use the imperfect progressive tense to put emphasis on the action in progress with something else happened. You can also use the imperfect progressive tense to put emphasis on the action in progress with something else happened. Yo estaba durmiendo cuando mi amigo llamó por teléfono. Yo estaba durmiendo cuando mi amigo llamó por teléfono. I was sleeping when my friend called… I was sleeping when my friend called…

Preterite vs. Imperfect: Part II The imperfect is used to indicate ongoing or continuous past actions lasting an unspecified amount of time. The imperfect is used to indicate ongoing or continuous past actions lasting an unspecified amount of time. Describing what was going on (background) Describing what was going on (background) This is often expressed by was/were + …ing This is often expressed by was/were + …ing Mientras yo miraba la tele, ellos jugaban al fútbol. Mientras yo miraba la tele, ellos jugaban al fútbol. While I was watching TV they were playing soccer. While I was watching TV they were playing soccer.

Preterite vs. Imperfect: Part II mientras  imperfect mientras  imperfect cuando  preterite cuando  preterite Mientras yo estudiaba mis hermanos jugaban los videojuegos. Mientras yo estudiaba mis hermanos jugaban los videojuegos. Mientras yo estudiaba, mi amigo llamó. Mientras yo estudiaba, mi amigo llamó. Yo estudiaba cuando mis abuelos llegaron. Yo estudiaba cuando mis abuelos llegaron.

Preterite vs. Imperfect: Part III The preterite tells about an action that occurred at a specific time. The preterite tells about an action that occurred at a specific time. It expresses successive completed events. It expresses successive completed events. The narrator is telling the events/actions. The narrator is telling the events/actions. The preterite expresses “what happened” and “what took place” The preterite expresses “what happened” and “what took place”

Preterite vs. Imperfect: Part III haber – hubo (there was/were) haber – hubo (there was/were) expresses what took place/ocurred expresses what took place/ocurred Hubo un accidente grande ayer. Hubo un accidente grande ayer. Example: Example: Esta mañana yo me levanté a las seis, me duché rápidamente, me vestí, me cepillé los dientes, comí el desayuno y salí para la escuela. Esta mañana yo me levanté a las seis, me duché rápidamente, me vestí, me cepillé los dientes, comí el desayuno y salí para la escuela.

Preterite vs. Imperfect: Part III The imperfect is used to describe circumstances and conditions in the past. The imperfect is used to describe circumstances and conditions in the past. It expresses description and background information. It expresses description and background information. Picture a narrator describing the scene… Picture a narrator describing the scene… Background or context for a story. Background or context for a story.

Preterite vs. Imperfect: Part III It is used to describe the way people looked or were (personality) It is used to describe the way people looked or were (personality) Age Age Description Description Health/Feelings Health/Feelings Attitudes/Beliefs Attitudes/Beliefs haber = había (there was/were) haber = había (there was/were) describes a scene describes a scene Había muchos heridos. Había muchos heridos.

Preterite vs. Imperfect: Part III Esta mañana yo me levanté rápidamente. Eran las seis y hacía frío. Tenía sueño. Me duché rápidamente y me vestí. Llevaba mi suéter favorito. Me cepillé los dientes. Tenía hambre. Comí el desayuno y salí para la escuela. No quería llegar tarde. Esta mañana yo me levanté rápidamente. Eran las seis y hacía frío. Tenía sueño. Me duché rápidamente y me vestí. Llevaba mi suéter favorito. Me cepillé los dientes. Tenía hambre. Comí el desayuno y salí para la escuela. No quería llegar tarde.

Preterite vs. Imperfect: Part IV Meaning Changes There are certain verbs that have different meanings in the preterite and the imperfect. There are certain verbs that have different meanings in the preterite and the imperfect. Usually the meaning in the preterite is slightly different from the original definition. Usually the meaning in the preterite is slightly different from the original definition.

Preterite vs. Imperfect: Part IV Meaning Changes Imperfect  normal meaning Imperfect  normal meaning Preterite  gives it a “twist” Preterite  gives it a “twist”  alternate meaning  alternate meaning  “stronger” meaning  “stronger” meaning

Preterite Imperfect Preterite Imperfect saber saber to know a fact or how to do something to know a fact or how to do something saber found out

Preterite Imperfect Preterite Imperfect conocer conocer to know a person or place to know a person or place conocer met for the first time

Preterite Imperfect Preterite Imperfect querer querer wanted to wanted to no querer no querer didn’t want to didn’t want to querer tried to no querer refused to

Preterite Imperfect Preterite Imperfect poder poder could, was able to could, was able to tener tener had had poder tried and succeeded in doing,managed to do tener got, received

Preterite Imperfect Preterite Imperfect estar estar was/were (feeling) was/were (feeling) haber haber había:there was/there were había:there was/there were scene scene background info background info estar got/became (feeling) haber hubo: there was/there were event took place