Unidad 4 Lección 1 Preterite vs. Imperfect Avancemos 2 Unidad 4 Lección 1 Preterite vs. Imperfect

Preterite vs. Imperfect When speaking about the past in Spanish, you can use either the preterite or the imperfect, depending on the sentence and the meaning you wish to convey. Compare… Este verano tomé una clase de álgebra. (Preterite) Cuando yo era niño, tomaba clases de natación. (Imperfect)

Preterite vs. Imperfect PRETERITE The preterite is used to tell about past actions that happened and are completed. (completed past actions) El sábado la clase empezó a las siete de la mañana. (On Saturday class began at seven a.m.)

Preterite vs. Imperfect PRETERITE Use the preterite to describe a sequence of actions in the past. Cuando llegamos, la profesora sacó su libro y empezó a leer. (When we arrived, the teacher took out her book and began to read.)

Preterite vs. Imperfect IMPERFECT Use the imperfect to talk about habitual (repeated) actions in the past. Cuando era niño, las clases empezaban a las ocho de la mañana. (When I was a child, classes used to begin at eight a.m.)

Preterite vs. Imperfect IMPERFECT Use the imperfect to give background details such as Time Location Weather Mood Age Physical & mental descriptions Eran las dos de la tarde. Estábamos en el parque. Era un día de otoño. Todos estábamos muy contentos. (It was two p.m. We were in the park. It was a fall day. We were all very happy.)

Preterite vs. Imperfect IMPERFECT Use the imperfect when two or more actions are taking place simulteaneously in the past. Mientras (while) los estudiantes estudiaban, el profesor leía un libro. (While the students were studying, the teacher was reading a book.)

Preterite vs. Imperfect Use the preterite and the imperfect together when an action (preterite) interrupts another that is taking place in the past (imperfect). Estábamos en la clase cuando el profesor entró. We were in the class when the teacher entered.

Preterite vs. Imperfect - Review Use the preterite to: Express an action that happened one time in the past OR you can count the number of times it happened. (BOOM!) Clue Words – de repente (suddenly) anoche (last night) el mes pasado (last month) anteayer (day before yesterday) el lunes (on Monday) Or other words that denote a specific action in the past.

Preterite vs. Imperfect Use the imperfect to: Set the scene of a story Describe repeated actions in the past (used to, would) Describe progressive, ongoing actions in the past to express what was happening (was, were, “ing”) To describe details, time, age, weather, etc., in the past. Clue Words - A menudo (often) Frecuentemente (frequently) De vez en cuando (once in a while) Todas las semanas (every week) Mientras (while)

I Pat Whales (Reasons to use the imperfect tense) Imperfect Physical (description of an event-fiesta/concierto) Era alto y guapo. Llevaba anteojos(glasses) Age Tenía veinte años. Era bastante joven. Time Eran las diez de la noche; era tarde Weather Hacía frío. Nevaba. Llovía Habitual Vivíamos en NY. Siempre hacía mi tarea. Attitude (mental process- I desired=desear, I wanted to=querer, I thought about= pensar de/pensar sobre, I hoped=esperar) Pensaba en las vacaciones. Location Yo estaba en casa. Me quedaba en el hotel. Emotion Estaba enojada. Nos emocionábamos. Simultaneous Action Mi padre comía y mi madre hablaba.

Había vs era/eran Imperfecto… Había and Era/Eran are often confused. What are the differences in meaning between the two? Había— Era— Eran— there was/there were I was, it was, she was, he was, you were you-all were, they were