Spanish Past Tenses: Preterite vs Imperfect
1. El lunes la clase comenzó a las 8:15.
Translation: On Monday the class started at 8:15.
2. A las tres y media de la tarde empezó a llover.
Translation: At three thirty in the afternoon, it started to rain.
3. Como terminó sus tareas pronto, Luis fue a visitar a su tía por la tarde.
Translation: Since he finished his tasks early, Luis went to visit his aunt in the afternoon.
4. Ana María visitaba a su tía todos los domingos.
Translation: Ana María used to visit her aunt every Sunday.
5. Estaban demasiado cansados y decidieron parar un momento.
Translation: They were too tired and decided to stop for a moment.
6. Magdalena vivió en la ciudad de Cali entre los años 2000 y 2005.
Translation: Magdalena lived in the city of Cali between the years 2000 and 2005.
7. ¡Por fin terminé! Ya quité el polvo, lavé los platos y saqué la basura.
Translation: Finally, I finished! I already dusted, washed the dishes, and took out the trash.
8. Cuando era niño, estudiaba en una escuela bilingüe.
Translation: When he was a child, he studied in a bilingual school.
1. What tense is used to express the beginning of an action in the past?
1. The preterite tense is used to express the beginning of an action in the past.
2. What tense is used to refer to a habitual action in the past?
2. The imperfect tense is used to refer to a habitual action in the past.
3. What tense is used to express a completed action in the past?
3. The preterite tense is used to express a completed action in the past.
4. What tense is used to describe states or physical/emotional conditions in the past?
4. The imperfect tense is used to describe states or physical/emotional conditions in the past.