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Preterite vs. Imperfect

Preterite vs. Imperfect. ¡En Español!. Preterite vs. Imperfect. When speaking about the past, you can use either the preterite or the imperfect, depending on the sentence and the meaning you wish to convey. Compare…

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Preterite vs. Imperfect

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  1. Preterite vs. Imperfect ¡En Español!

  2. Preterite vs. Imperfect • When speaking about the past, you can use either the preterite or the imperfect, depending on the sentence and the meaning you wish to convey. Compare… • Este fin de semana tomé una clase de cerámica. Cuando eraniño, tomaba clases de escultura.

  3. Preterite vs. Imperfect • Use the preterite to tell about past actions that happened and are complete. • El sábado, la clase empezó a las 10 de la mañana.

  4. Preterite vs. Imperfect • Use the imperfect to tell about habitual actions in the past. • Cuando era niño, las clasesempezaban a las 5 de la tarde.

  5. Preterite vs. Imperfect • Use the preterite to give a sequence of actions in the past. • Cuando llegamos, la profesora sacó su pintura y sus pinceles y empezó a pintar.

  6. Preterite vs. Imperfect • Use the imperfect to give background details such as time, location, weather, mood, age, and physical and mental descriptions. • Eran las dos de la tarde. Estábamos en el parque. Era un día de otoño. Todos estábamos muy contentos.

  7. 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 el taller cuando entró el profesor.

  8. Preterite vs. Imperfect • Use the imperfect when two or more actions ar etaking place simultaneously in the past. • Mientras los niños pintaban, el profesor observaba las pinturas.

  9. Recuerda: Preterit is BOSSI Began or ended action in the past One time action in the past Specific-time action in the past Sudden, distinct action Interupting an action already going on.

  10. Recuerda: Imperfect is WATERLOADS Weather Location Age On-going action Telling Time Attitude Emotion Description Repeated Action Setting, background

  11. Verbs That Change Meaning in the Preterite and the Imperfect

  12. Verbs That Change in Meaning from Preterite to Imperfect Tenses • A few Spanish verbs have different meanings in the imperfect and the preterite tenses: • SABER • CONOCER • QUERER • NO QUERER • PODER

  13. SABER • Imperfect – “knew” • ¿Sabías que el concierto empezaba tarde? • Did you know that the concert began late? • Preterite – “found out, learned” • Sí, supe ayer que empezaba tarde. • Yes, I found out that it began late.

  14. CONOCER • Imperfect – “knew (somebody)” • Pedro conocía muy bien a esa actriz. • Pedro knew that actress very well. • Preterite – “met (somebody) for the first time” • Luis la conoció el año pasado. • Luis met her last year.

  15. QUERER • Imperfect – “wanted to” • Luis quería comprar las entradas hoy. • Luis wanted to buy the tickets today. • Preterite – “tried to, attempted to” • Yo quise comprarlas, pero me enfermé. • I tried to buy them but I got sick.

  16. NO QUERER • Imperfect – “didn’t want to” • No querían ver esa obra de teatro. • They didn’t want to see that play. • Preterite – “refused to” • No quisieron ver esa obra de teatro. • They refused to see that play.

  17. PODER • Imperfect – “was able to, could” • Ella podía aprender la letra de la canción. • She was able to learn the letter of the song. • Preterite – “managed to, succeeded in” • Ella pudo aprender la letra de esa canción. • She succeeded in learning the letter of that song.

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