El Pretérito y El Imperfecto
Verb Endings
Preterit
Imperfect
 AR: é, aste, ó, amos,
 AR: aba, abas, aba,
asteis, aron
 ER/IR: í, iste, ió, imos,
isteis, ieron
ábamos, abais, aban
 ER/IR: ía, ías, ía,
íamos, íais, ían
Irregular Forms
Preterit
Imperfect
 Car, Gar, Zar
 No stem-changing
 IR verbs stem-change
 ir, ser, ver
 ir, ser, dar, ver, venir,
tener, hacer, poner,
estar, querer, poder,
saber, decir, traer,
andar
Uses of the Preterit
 Actions that occurred one time & had a clear
beginning and end (even if not stated).


I jogged three miles yesterday.
We ate at Cheddar’s on Saturday.
 Describing reactions
 I was surprised when I saw the accident.
 Verbs that change meaning (conocer, (no) querer,
(no) poder, tener, saber)

Conocer = to meet, querer = to try/to refuse (no), poder = to
try & succeed, to try & fail (no), tener = to receive, saber = to
find out
Uses of the Imperfect
 Repeated/Habitual actions…Things that occurred more
than once over a period of time


We used to ride our bikes after school everyday.
She used to visit her grandparents each summer.
 Telling Time

It was 3:30.
 Giving one’s age.

He was thirteen.
 Giving a location.

We were at the mall.
 Describing a scene (weather, scenery, etc.)


It was sunny.
The windows were open.
Uses of the Imperfect, Cont.
 Describing a person.
 She was very pretty.
 Describing emotions
 We were so happy.
 Setting the stage for another action…This is when
something is going on in the background and
something else interrupts it.


I was watching television when the doorbell rang.
We were taking a test when the fire alarm went off.

The background action (watching tv/taking a test) is in the
imperfect and the interrupting action (the doorbell rang/the fire
alarm went off) is in the preterit.
Which tense do you need?
 We were sleepy.
 She was 18 years old.
 I bought new shoes at the mall yesterday.
 We just found out about their engagement.
 You used to walk your dog after school every day.
 I was so surprised.
 It was cold and snowing last week.
 We were studying in the library.
 He never studied for tests.