Spanish conjugation explanation

Preterite vs. imperfect

<p>Spanish has two simple past tenses: the <strong>Preterite</strong> (

<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext" href="/study/tenseGuideForTense/18/" target="_blank">Pretérito perfecto simple</a>

<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext" href="/study/tenseGuideForTense/15/" target="_blank">Pretérito imperfecto</a>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_title">The Preterite</div>

<p>The Preterite is used for actions viewed as <strong>completed</strong> snapshots in time. It indicates that an action had a definite beginning and end. Use the preterite to describe:</p>

<ul>

<li>

<div>Single, completed events:</div>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">Ella le <span class="green_emphasis">entregó</span> su chaqueta. (<span style="font-style: italic;">She handed him his jacket.</span>)</div>

</li>

<li>

<div>A sequence or chain of events (advancing the plot):</div>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence"><span class="green_emphasis">Abandonó</span> a su familia y <span class="green_emphasis">se fue</span> al extranjero. (<span style="font-style: italic;">He deserted his family and went abroad.</span>)</div>

</li>

<li>

<div>Actions repeated a specific number of times:</div>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence"><span class="green_emphasis">Me desperté</span> tres veces durante la noche. (<span style="font-style: italic;">I woke up three times during the night.</span>)</div>

</li>

<li>

<div>Actions that lasted for a specifically stated duration:</div>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">Él <span class="green_emphasis">trabajó</span> desde la mañana hasta la noche. (<span style="font-style: italic;">He worked from morning till night.</span>)</div>

</li>

</ul>

<p>Expressions often used with the Preterite indicate specific points or segments in time:</p>

<ul>

<li><span style="font-style: italic;">ayer</span> (yesterday)</li>

<li><span style="font-style: italic;">anoche</span> (last night)</li>

<li><span style="font-style: italic;">el año pasado</span> (last year)</li>

<li><span style="font-style: italic;">hace dos días</span> (two days ago)</li>

<li><span style="font-style: italic;">una vez</span> (one time)</li>

<li><span style="font-style: italic;">siempre</span> (always) – when referring to a bounded period (

<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext" href="/conjugationExplanation/spanish_preterite_imperfect_siempre/" target="_blank">click for more info</a>

</ul>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_title">The Imperfect</div>

<p>The Imperfect is used for actions viewed as <strong>ongoing</strong>, without a focus on their beginning or end. It sets the scene, describes habits, or talks about conditions (like a "movie" rather than a "snapshot"). Use the imperfect to describe:</p>

<ul>

<li>

<div>Habitual or repeated actions ("used to" do something):</div>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">A veces él <span class="green_emphasis">actuaba</span> como si fuera mi jefe. (<span style="font-style: italic;">Sometimes he acted/used to act as if he were my boss.</span>)</div>

</li>

<li>

<div>Two simultaneous ongoing actions:</div>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence"><span class="green_emphasis">Comíamos</span> mientras <span class="green_emphasis">llorábamos</span>. (<span style="font-style: italic;">We were eating while we were crying.</span>)</div>

</li>

<li>

<div>Descriptions of people, things, or conditions in the past:</div>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">Las bebidas <span class="green_emphasis">eran</span> gratis. (<span style="font-style: italic;">The drinks were free.</span>)</div>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">Asumí que <span class="green_emphasis">eran</span> felices. (<span style="font-style: italic;">I assumed that you were happy.</span>)</div>

</li>

<li>

<div>Time and age in the past:</div>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence"><span class="green_emphasis">Eran</span> las dos de la tarde. (<span style="font-style: italic;">It was 2 o'clock in the afternoon.</span>)</div>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">Yo bebía cuando <span class="green_emphasis">tenía</span> 18 años. (<span style="font-style: italic;">When I was 18, I drank.</span>)</div>

</li>

</ul>

<p>Expressions often used with the Imperfect indicate repetition or lack of specificity:</p>

<ul>

<li><span style="font-style: italic;">a menudo</span> (often)</li>

<li><span style="font-style: italic;">a veces</span> (sometimes)</li>

<li><span style="font-style: italic;">cada día</span> (every day)</li>

<li><span style="font-style: italic;">mientras</span> (while)</li>

<li><span style="font-style: italic;">siempre</span> (always) – when referring to habits (

<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext" href="/conjugationExplanation/spanish_preterite_imperfect_siempre/" target="_blank">click for more info</a>

</ul>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_title">Comparison: The "Interruption"</div>

<p>A great way to understand the difference is when both tenses appear in the same sentence. The <strong>Imperfect</strong> describes what was happening (the background stage), while the <strong>Preterite</strong> describes the specific action that interrupted it.</p>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">Una mujer <span class="brown_emphasis">llegó</span> a vernos mientras <span class="green_emphasis">dormíais</span>. (<span style="font-style: italic;">A woman arrived to see us while you were sleeping.</span>)</div>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence_note">Here,

<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/esp/dormir/" title="Click to see conjugations for dormir" target="_blank">dormíais</a>

<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/esp/llegar/" title="Click to see conjugations for llegar" target="_blank">llegó</a>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_title">Preterite conjugations</div>

<p>Regular conjugation in the Preterite tense for <strong><span style="font-style: italic; white-space: nowrap;">-ar</span> verbs</strong> using

<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/esp/pasar/" title="Click to see conjugations for pasar" target="_blank">pasar</a>

<div class="study_conjugations_tense_container">

<a class="study_conjugations_tense_label box_label tense_box no_dark_mode " href="/study/tenseGuideForTense/18/" target="_blank" title="Open tense guide">Pretérito perfecto simple</a>

<div class="study_conjugations_conjugation conjugations_table two_columns">

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

yo

</span>pasé

</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

tú

</span>pasaste

</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

él

</span>pasó

</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

nosotros

</span>pasamos

</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

vosotros

</span>pasasteis

</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

ellos

</span>pasaron

</span>

</div>

</div>

</div>

</div>

<p>Regular conjugation in the Preterite tense for <strong><span style="font-style: italic; white-space: nowrap;">-er</span> verbs</strong> using

<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/esp/deber/" title="Click to see conjugations for deber" target="_blank">deber</a>

<div class="study_conjugations_tense_container">

<a class="study_conjugations_tense_label box_label tense_box no_dark_mode " href="/study/tenseGuideForTense/18/" target="_blank" title="Open tense guide">Pretérito perfecto simple</a>

<div class="study_conjugations_conjugation conjugations_table two_columns">

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

yo

</span>debí

</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

tú

</span>debiste

</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

él

</span>debió

</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

nosotros

</span>debimos

</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

vosotros

</span>debisteis

</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

ellos

</span>debieron

</span>

</div>

</div>

</div>

</div>

<p>Regular conjugation in the Preterite tense for <strong><span style="font-style: italic; white-space: nowrap;">-ir</span> verbs</strong> using

<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/esp/partir/" title="Click to see conjugations for partir" target="_blank">partir</a>

<div class="study_conjugations_tense_container">

<a class="study_conjugations_tense_label box_label tense_box no_dark_mode " href="/study/tenseGuideForTense/18/" target="_blank" title="Open tense guide">Pretérito perfecto simple</a>

<div class="study_conjugations_conjugation conjugations_table two_columns">

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

yo

</span>partí

</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

tú

</span>partiste

</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

él

</span>partió

</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

nosotros

</span>partimos

</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

vosotros

</span>partisteis

</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

ellos

</span>partieron

</span>

</div>

</div>

</div>

</div>

<p>For irregular conjugations, click on the tense name in one of the conjugation tables to open the Preterite tense guide.</p>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_title">Imperfect conjugations</div>

<p>Regular conjugation in the Imperfect tense for <strong><span style="font-style: italic; white-space: nowrap;">-ar</span> verbs</strong> using

<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/esp/pasar/" title="Click to see conjugations for pasar" target="_blank">pasar</a>

<div class="study_conjugations_tense_container">

<a class="study_conjugations_tense_label box_label tense_box no_dark_mode " href="/study/tenseGuideForTense/15/" target="_blank" title="Open tense guide">Pretérito imperfecto</a>

<div class="study_conjugations_conjugation conjugations_table two_columns">

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

yo

</span>pasaba

</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

tú

</span>pasabas

</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

él

</span>pasaba

</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

nosotros

</span>pasábamos

</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

vosotros

</span>pasabais

</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

ellos

</span>pasaban

</span>

</div>

</div>

</div>

</div>

<p>Regular conjugation in the Imperfect tense for <strong><span style="font-style: italic; white-space: nowrap;">-er</span> verbs</strong> using

<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/esp/deber/" title="Click to see conjugations for deber" target="_blank">deber</a>

<div class="study_conjugations_tense_container">

<a class="study_conjugations_tense_label box_label tense_box no_dark_mode " href="/study/tenseGuideForTense/15/" target="_blank" title="Open tense guide">Pretérito imperfecto</a>

<div class="study_conjugations_conjugation conjugations_table two_columns">

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

yo

</span>debía

</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

tú

</span>debías

</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

él

</span>debía

</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

nosotros

</span>debíamos

</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

vosotros

</span>debíais

</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

ellos

</span>debían

</span>

</div>

</div>

</div>

</div>

<p>Regular conjugation in the Imperfect tense for <strong><span style="font-style: italic; white-space: nowrap;">-ir</span> verbs</strong> using

<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/esp/partir/" title="Click to see conjugations for partir" target="_blank">partir</a>

<div class="study_conjugations_tense_container">

<a class="study_conjugations_tense_label box_label tense_box no_dark_mode " href="/study/tenseGuideForTense/15/" target="_blank" title="Open tense guide">Pretérito imperfecto</a>

<div class="study_conjugations_conjugation conjugations_table two_columns">

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

yo

</span>partía

</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

tú

</span>partías

</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

él

</span>partía

</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

nosotros

</span>partíamos

</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

vosotros

</span>partíais

</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

ellos

</span>partían

</span>

</div>

</div>

</div>

</div>

<p>For irregular conjugations, click on the tense name in one of the conjugation tables to open the Imperfect tense guide.</p>