Caer Urfa South Shields U3A

Spanish

Handout 34 – The preterite tense which is used to talk about things in the past (podcast 53)

The preterite tense (el preterito indefinido) is the tense used for single actions that happened once in the past.

Spanish English I spoke with my mother (implied on one Hablé con mi madre occasion in the past) Ayer, canté una canción Yesterday, I sang a song Bailé con mi amiga I danced with my friend ¿Hablaste español ayer? Did you speak Spanish yesterday Sí, hablé español ayer Yes, I spoke Spanish yesterday ¿Kara, ayer cantaste una canción? Kara, did you sing a song yesterday? Sí, canté una canción Yes, I sang a song ¿Kara, ayer bailaste con tu amiga? Kara, did you dance with you friend yesterday? Sí, ayer bailé con mi amiga Yes, I danced with my friend yesterday Cantó He/she sang ¿Durante las vacaciones, bailaste en la During the holidays, did you dance in the discoteca? discotheque? Yes, during the holidays I danced in the Si, durante las vacaciones bailé en la discoteca discotheque Durante las vacaciones, Kara bailó en la During the holidays, Kara danced in the discoteca discotheque ¿Durante las vacaciones, hablaste español? During the holidays, did you speak Spanish? Sí, durante las vacaciones hablé español Yes, during the holidays I spoke Spanish Durante las vacaciones, Kara habló español During the holidays, Kara spoke Spanish ¿Durante las vacaciones, cantaste una canción During the holidays, did you sing a song? de Navidad? Sí, durante las vacaciones canté una canción Yes, during the holidays I sang a Christmas de Navidad song Durante las vacaciones, Kara cantó una During the holidays, Kara sang a Christmas canción de Navidad song hablé I spoke hablaste you spoke habló he/she spoke or you spoke (formal) hablamos we spoke hablasteis you spoke hablaron they spoke or you spoke (formal) canté I sang cantaste you sang cantó he/she sang or you sang (formal) cantamos we sang cantasteis you sang cantaron they sang or you sang formal bailé I danced bailaste you danced bailó he/she danced or you danced (formal) bailamos we danced bailasteis you danced bailaron they danced or you danced (formal) Hace dos años Two years ago La semana pasada Last week Hace dos años, cantamos una canción Two years ago, we sang a song Durante las vacaciones, bailé con Enrique During the holidays, I danced with Enrique Iglesias Iglesias La semana pasada, habló con mi madre Last week, he/she spoke with my mother. causar to cause un accidente an accident raspar to scratch perro dog a consecuencia de as a result of aplanar to level obrero workman jugar to play mas temprano earlier terreno ground partido match, game comprar to buy coche car pan bread cocinar to cook cena dinner me gusta (present tense) I like it (literally it pleases me) trabajar to work duro hard Last week, the workmen levelled the ground. Earlier this morning, we played football and won the match. Yesterday, two dogs caused an accident. As a result of this, Frederico scratched his car. Last week, I bought bread at the supermarket Last night, you cooked dinner for me. I liked it a lot. Yesterday, I did not work but today I am going to work hard