Grammar – Preterite (el pretérito indefinido)
The following table shows the preterite of regular verbs. Regular -er and -ir verbs follow the exact same pattern. Note that the nosotros form is the same as in the present tense for -ar and -ir verbs, so you have to know the context to figure out the time. Also, note that the last letter of comí and viví has an accent mark.
|
hablar (-ar) |
to talk |
comer (-er) |
to eat |
vivir (-ir) |
to live |
yo |
hablé |
I talked |
comí |
I ate |
viví |
I lived |
tú |
hablaste |
you talked |
comiste |
you ate |
viviste |
you lived |
Ud./él/ella |
habló |
he/she talked |
comió |
he/she ate |
vivió |
he/she lived |
nosotros/as |
hablamos |
we talked |
comimos |
we ate |
vivimos |
we lived |
vosotros/as |
hablastéis |
you (all) talked |
comistéis |
you (all) ate |
vivistéis |
you (all) lived |
Uds./ellos/as |
hablaron |
they talked |
comieron |
they ate |
vivieron |
they lived |
Here is a list of common verbs that have an irregular preterite:
|
dar |
decir |
estar |
hacer |
yo |
di |
dije |
estuve |
hice |
tú |
diste |
dijiste |
estuviste |
hiciste |
Ud./él/ella |
dio |
dijo |
estuvo |
hizo |
nosotros/as |
dimos |
dijimos |
estuvimos |
hicimos |
vosotros/as |
disteis |
dijisteis |
estuvisteis |
hicisteis |
Uds./ellos/as |
dieron |
dijeron |
estuvieron |
hicieron |
|
ir |
poder |
poner |
querer |
yo |
fui |
pude |
puse |
quise |
tú |
fuiste |
pudiste |
pusiste |
quisiste |
Ud./él/ella |
fue |
pudo |
puso |
quiso |
nosotros/as |
fuimos |
pudimos |
pusimos |
quisimos |
vosotros/as |
fuisteis |
pudisteis |
pusisteis |
quisisteis |
Uds./ellos/as |
fueron |
pudieron |
pusieron |
quisieron |
|
saber |
ser |
tener |
venir |
yo |
supe |
fui |
tuve |
vine |
tú |
supiste |
fuiste |
tuviste |
viniste |
Ud./él/ella |
supo |
fue |
tuvo |
vino |
nosotros/as |
supimos |
fuimos |
tuvimos |
vinimos |
vosotros/as |
supisteis |
fuisteis |
tuvisteis |
vinisteis |
Uds./ellos/as |
supieron |
fueron |
tuvieron |
vinieron |
Grammar – Imperfect (el pretérito imperfecto)
The following table shows the imperfect of regular verbs. Note that regular -er and -ir verbs follow the exact same pattern:
|
hablar
(-ar) |
to talk |
comer
(-er) |
to eat |
vivir
(-ir) |
to live |
yo |
hablaba |
I was talking |
comía |
I was eating |
vivía |
I was living |
tú |
hablabas |
you were talking |
comías |
you were eating |
vivías |
you were living |
Ud./él/ella |
hablaba |
he/she was talking |
comía |
he/she was eating |
vivía |
he/she was living |
nosotros/as |
hablábamos |
we were talking |
comíamos |
we were eating |
vivíamos |
we were living |
vosotros/as |
hablabais |
you (all) were talking |
comíais |
you (all) were eating |
vivíais |
you (all) were living |
Uds./ellos/as |
hablaban |
they were talking |
comían |
they were eating |
vivían |
they were living |
There are only three verbs that are irregular in the imperfect:
|
ir |
ser |
ver |
yo |
iba |
era |
veía |
tú |
ibas |
eras |
veías |
Ud./él/ella |
iba |
era |
veía |
nosotros/as |
íbamos |
éramos |
veíamos |
vosotros/as |
ibais |
erais |
veíais |
Uds./ellos/as |
iban |
eran |
veían |
Grammar – Preterite vs. Imperfect
Spanish has two tenses that correspond to the English simple past. Roughly speaking, the Preterite is used to tell What happened – it refers to a specific event.
Preterite is used for… |
Example |
A specific event |
Ayer comí una hamburguesa. |
Beginning/end of an event |
La fiesta terminó a las tres de la mañana. |
A series of events |
Carlos salió de la universidad, compró ropa y volvió a casa. |
Preterite |
Key words |
esta mañana |
this morning |
anoche |
last night |
ayer |
yesterday |
el otro día |
the other day |
el lunes pasado |
last Monday |
la semana pasada |
last week |
el mes pasado |
last month |
el año pasado |
last year |
hace dos años |
two years ago |
en ese momento |
at that moment |
entonces |
then |
The Imperfect is used to tell How things were – it refers to the general situation.
Imperfect is used for… |
Example |
Habitual events |
A veces Einstein se equivocaba. |
Time in the past |
Eran las dos de la tarde. |
Conditions (physical or mental) |
Era un día muy caluroso. |
Imperfect |
Key words |
siempre |
always |
generalmente |
usually |
a menudo |
often |
muchas veces |
many times |
a veces |
sometimes |
nunca |
never |
todos los días |
every day |
cada día |
cada año |
every year |
El vocabulario (Vocabulary) – La casa (The house)
La casa |
The house |
la habitación / el cuarto / la pieza / la sala / la recámara |
the room |
el dormitorio / el cuarto / la pieza |
the bedroom |
el estar / la sala de estar / el cuarto de estar |
the living room |
el comedor |
the dining room |
la cocina |
the kitchen |
el baño / el cuarto de baño / el servicio / el excusado |
the bathroom |
la(s) escalera(s) |
the stairs |
el sótano / el subsuelo |
the basement |
el techo / el tejado |
the roof |
el techo / el cielo raso |
the ceiling |
el piso / el suelo |
the floor |
la pared |
the wall |
el muro |
the wall |
la ventana |
the window |
el ropero / el armario / el clóset |
the closet |
la mesa |
the table |
la silla |
the chair |
el espejo |
the mirror |
el lavabo / el lavamanos / el lavatorio |
the bathroom sink, the lavatory |
En la cocina… |
In the kitchen… |
la nevera / el frigorífico / el refrigerador / la heladera |
the refrigerator |
el lavaplatos / el lavavajilla |
the dishwasher |
el fregadero / la pileta |
the kitchen sink |
la cocina |
the stove, the cooker |
el horno |
the oven |
el (horno) microondas |
the microwave |
la olla |
the pot |
la sartén |
the (frying) pan |
En el comedor… |
In the dining room… |
el plato |
the plate |
la taza |
the cup |
el tazón / el bol |
the bowl |
el vaso |
the glass |
la copa |
the goblet, the wineglass |
el tenedor |
the fork |
el cuchillo |
the knife |
la cuchara |
the spoon |
la servilleta |
the napkin |