Preterite Vs Imperfect: Part I

Preterite vs Imperfect: Part I Some words and phrases indicate the preterite.

Spanish has two past tenses: preterite and imperfect. Ayer (yesterday) anteayer (the day before yesterday) ayer por la mañana (yesterday morning) The preterite is used for actions in the past that are seen ayer por la tarde (yesterday afternoon) as completed. Use of the preterite tense implies that the anoche (last night) el otro día(the other day) past action had a definite beginning and definite end. hace dos días, años (It’s been two days, years ago) durante dos años (for two years)) Juan habló dos horas. Juan spoke two hours. esta mañana (this morning) esta tarde (this afternoon) (clearly stated beginning and end) el mes pasado (last month) el año pasado (last year) It is important to realize that the beginning and the end la semana pasada (last week) entonces (then) may not always be clearly stated. desde el primer momento (from the first moment) Juan habló con la estudiante. Juan spoke with the student. en ese momento (at that moment (implied beginning and end) The Imperfect uses words and phrases to indicate its usage, The imperfect is used for actions in the past that are not such as repetition, vague or non-specific time frames. seen as completed. Use of the imperfect tense implies that the past action did not have a definite beginning a menudo (often) mucho (a lot) cada día(every day) or a definite end. cada semana(every week) cada mes(every month) cada año(every year) con frecuencia (frequently) Las chicas hablaban en inglés. The girls used to speak in de vez en cuando (from time to time) English. (no definite beginning or end) frecuentemente (frequently) generalmente (usually) siempre (always) nunca (never) a veces (sometimes) The preterite tells us specifically when an action took place. muchas veces (many times) tantas veces (so many times) The imperfect tells us in general when an action took place. varias veces (several times) todo el tiempo (all the time) Preterite vs Imperfect: Part I todas las semanas (every week) todos los días (every day) A. Conjugate the verbs as directed. por un rato (for awhile) en aquella época (at that time) 1. hablar (preterite) Yo ______2. necesitar (imperfect) los chicos ______Preterite vs Imperfect: Part II 3. estudiar (preterite) ellos ______4. cantar (preterite) La Srta. Juarez ______A. Using the phrase that is in bold as a hint, choose between 5. trabajar (imperfect) tú ______the preterite or the imperfect. 6. comprar (imperfect) ustedes ______1.Él ______(llamar)por teléfono ayer por la tarde. 7. necesitar (preterite) usted ______2.El hombre ______(estar) feliz por un rato. 8. estudiar (imperfect) tú ______3.Los muchachos ______(ir) a las montañas cada 9. bailar (preterite) ella ______invierno. 10. bailar (imperfect) nosotros 4.Nosotros _____(ir) un viaje a Madrid el año pasado. 5.Yo ______(hacer) una ensalada anteayer. B. Choose the correct form of the verb. You must decide 6.Las señoritas ______(salir) hace tres horas. whether to use preterite or imperfect, and you must 7.Los buenos alumnos generalmente ______conjugate the verb correctly. (estudiar) antes de un examen. 11. The children were talking. Los niños ______. 8.Ella frecuentemente me ______(ver)antes de las 12. The girls spoke to the professor. Las chicas ocho de la mañana. ______con el profesor. 9.¿Yo______(comer) carne todas las semanas? 13. I needed more books. Yo ______más libros. 10.Ud. no ______(poder) la televisión en ese momento. 14. We washed the dishes. ______los platos. 11.Nosotros. ______(ver) a José cada semana. 15. We were washing the dishes. ______los platos. 12.María ______(beber) jugo de naranja esta mañana. 16. You (informal) used to study with Juan. ______13.El gato siempre ______(beber) a la misma hora. 17. I studied with Juan for three hours. ______con 14.El hombre ______(dormir) por ocho horas. Juan por tres horas. 15.¿Por qué la mujer nunca ______(tener) dinero? 18. María worked in a restaurant. (for a period of time) 16.Gabriel ______(jugar) con Carmen muy a menudo. María ______en un restaurante. 17.Nosotros ______(nadar) a la playa cada verano. 19. Juan worked in the hospital for six months. Juan 18.¿ Tú______(tomar) café ayer por la mañana? ______en el hospital seis meses. 19.Ella ______(comprar) un coche el mes pasado. 20. She used to call me a lot. Ella me ______mucho. 20.La chica ______(estar) aquí todos los días. 7.I received a letter from my sister. ______una Preterite vs Imperfect: Part III carta de mi hermana. Some verbs actually change meaning, depending upon 8.Carmen used to have a house in Acapulco. whether they are used in the preterite or the imperfect. Carmen ______una casa en Acapulco. 9.Arturo tried to leave. Arturo ______salir. Conocer 10.Maria tried to eat. María ______comer. Conocí a Juan hace cinco años. I met Juan five years ago. 11.The girls were able to go to the party. Las chicas Preterite (completed action) ______ir a la fiesta. En aquella época conocíamos muy bien la ciudad. 12.The brothers received a message from their father. At that time we knew the city very well. Los hermanos ______un mensaje de su padre. Imperfect (no definite beginning or end) 13.The drunk refused to leave. El borracho ______salir. 14.I knew him well. Le ______bien. Querer 15.Jorge met a charming young lady. Jorge ______a María quiso comprar la casa. Maria tried to buy the house. una simpática señorita. Preterite (completed action) 16.At that time we knew the city very well. En aquella época Juan quería comprar la casa. Juan wanted to buy the house. ______muy bien la ciudad. Imperfect (no definite beginning or end) 17.Alberto succeeded in reading the whole book. Alberto ______leer el libro entero. No Querer 18.I wasn't able to remember his name. No ______María no quiso comprar la casa. Maria refused to buy recordar su nombre. the house. Preterite (completed action) 19.Last night Juan found out the truth. Anoche Juan Juan no quería comprar la casa. Juan did not want to ______la verdad. buy the house. Imperfect (no definite beginning or end) 20.The young ladies did not want to leave. Las señoritas ______salir. Saber María lo supo ayer. Maria found out yesterday. The preterite is used in the following situations: Preterite (completed action) For actions that can be viewed as single events Juan sabía que María venía. Juan knew that Maria was For actions that were repeated a specific number of times coming. Imperfect (no definite beginning or end) For actions that occurred during a specific period of time For actions that were part of a chain of events Poder To state the beginning or the end of an action María pudo levantar la mesa. Maria succeeded in lifting the table. Preterite (completed action) The imperfect is used in the following situations: Juan podía participar en la manifestación. For actions that were repeated habitually Juan was able to participate in the demonstration. For actions that "set the stage" for another past action Imperfect (no definite beginning or end) For telling time For stating one's age Tener For mental states (usually) María tuvo una carta de su mamá. Maria received a For physical sensations (usually) letter from her mom. Preterite (completed action) To describe the characteristics of people, things or conditions Juan tenía un coche nuevo. Juan used to have a new car. Imperfect (no definite beginning or end) Preterite vs Imperfect: Review A. Choose the correct preterite tense conjugation. Preterite vs Imperfect: Part III 1.Juan y yo (ser) somos fuimos éramos A. Choose between the preterite or the imperfect. 2.tú (dar) das dabas diste 1.We wanted to buy the car. ______comprar el auto. 2.The man refused to speak. El hombre ______hablar. B. Choose the correct imperfect tense conjugation. 3.They found out the news yesterday.______3.las gatas (ser) fueron eran son las noticias ayer. 4.las gatas (ir) iban van fueron 4.The boy knew she was coming. El chico ______que ella venía. C. Choose the correct preterite tense conjugation. 5.We succeeded in lifting the piano. ______5.Juan (dormir) durmió dormía duerme levantar el piano. 6.Juan y María (pedir) piden pidieron pedían 6.I met Juan five years ago. Hace cinco años que ______a Juan. D. Try substituting was/were ...ing, used to ..., would J. Fill in the missing stem in order to form the correct preterite (meaning used to) ... conjugation. 7.Every day I visited my aunt. visité visitaba 21.yo ______é Pagar 8.Juan ran most mornings. corrió corría 22.tú ______iste Estar 23.Juan ______o Tener E. The following sentences all describe how things were, 24.nosotros ______imos Correr or what things were like. Use the imperfect or preterite? 25.vosotros ______isteis Haber 9.The house was white. fue era 26.las mujeres ______ieron Poder 10.The store was full of candy. estuvo estaba 27.el chico ______o Poner 28.las chicas ______ieron Saber F. Fill in the missing letters in order to form the correct 29.yo ______e Hacer preterite conjugation. 30.nosotros ______imos Querer 11.yo pa______é pagar 31.tú ______iste Venir 12.yo bus______é Buscar K. Choose the correct preterite tense conjugation. G. Choose the correct preterite tense conjugation. 32.Juan (traer) trae traía trajo 13.Juan y María (leer) leen leyeron leían 33.el chofer (conducir) conducía conduce condujo 14.el hombre (influir) influye influía influyó 34.Carmen (decir) dijimos decíamos dijo 35.ustedes (ver) ven vieron veían H. Choose the correct form of the verb. You must decide 36.tú (traducir) traducías traduces tradujiste whether to use preterite or imperfect, and you must conjugate the verb correctly. L. Choose between the preterite or the imperfect. 15.The girls spoke to the professor. Las chicas 37.The man refused to speak. El hombre ______hablar. ______con el profesor. 38.They found out the news yesterday. ______16.I studied with Juan for three hours. las noticias ayer. ______con Juan por tres horas. 39.We succeeded in lifting the piano. ______levantar 17.She used to call me every night. Ella me el piano. ______cada noche. 40.Arturo tried to leave. Arturo ______salir. 18.We used to dance the tango every night. ______el tango cada noche.

I. Using the phrase that is in bold as a hint, choose between the preterite or the imperfect. 19.Los muchachos ______a las montañas cada invierno. 20.Juan ______algunos objetos ayer.