The document compares the uses of the preterit and imperfect tenses in Spanish. The preterit is used for completed or terminated actions that occurred at a specific time. The imperfect is used for descriptions, habitual actions, ongoing states, indirect statements, and actions that set the scene for other events. Both tenses can be used together, with the imperfect describing an ongoing action and the preterit indicating an interruption.

1. 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. The uses
of these two tenses are compared on the
following slides.

2. Criteria for the use of the preterit
1. An action that the speaker views as
terminated or completed. V
•
Me casé en 1981.
I got married in 1981.
Alfredo salió para España ayer.
Alfredo left for Spain yesterday.
Berta compró un coche nuevo el año pasado.
Berta bought a new car last year.

3. Criteria for the use of the preterit
2. An action or state that occupies a limited period of time.
Lorena estudió por dos horas.
Lorena studied for two hours.
Los niños pasaron todo el día en el parque.
The children spent the whole day in the park.
Estuvimos en Oaxaca todo el mes de julio.
We were in Oaxaca the entire month of July.

4. 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.
The concert began at seven. •
Empecé a trabajar en el proyecto esta mañana.
I began to work on the project this morning.
Cesó de llover a eso de las cinco de la tarde.
It stopped raining around five in the afternoon.

5. Criteria for the use of the preterit
4. Completed events that occurred in a
series.
V V
• • V
•
Carlos entró en la farmacia, vio a su ex-novia
y salió inmediatamente.
Carlos entered the Pharmacy, saw his ex-girlfriend,
and left immediately.

6. Criteria for the use of the preterit
5. Changes in mental, physical, and emotional conditions
or states in the past.
Alejandra se puso furiosa cuando vio el
cuarto en desorden.
Alejandra became furious when she saw the messy
room.
Estuve nerviosa durante la entrevista.
I was nervous during the interview (but now I’m
not).

7. 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.

8. 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 sus compras.
Rosa was talking while she was looking at her
purchases.

9. 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 de compras todo el tiempo.
Ana used to go shopping all the time.

10. Criteria for the use of the imperfect
3. Time of day and age in the past.
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.

11. Criteria for the use of the imperfect
4. Mental, physical, and emotional conditions or states in
the past.
Alicia estaba contenta durante el concierto.
Alicia was happy during the concert.
Nos sentíamos mal después de comer allí.
We felt sick after eating there.
Juan pensaba que necesitaba más dinero
del que tenía para el viaje.
Juan thought that he needed more money than
he had for the trip.

12. 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.

13. Criteria for the use of the imperfect
6. Indirect statements.
Juan dijo que su hermano vendía su coche.
Juan said that his brother was selling his car.
Teodoro afirmó que su hermano decía la
verdad.
Teodoro stated that his brother was telling the
truth.

14. Criteria for the use of the imperfect
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.
Conversábamos con el dependiente cuando
Lourdes entró en la joyería.
We were talking with the clerk when Lourdes
entered the jewelry store.
Las chicas salían de la tienda cuando Jorge
las vio.
The girls were leaving the store when Jorge
saw them.

15. FIN