Review of Preterite and Imperfect Tenses

Flashcards summarizing key concepts of the Spanish preterite and imperfect tenses.

What is the primary use of the preterite tense in Spanish?

The preterite is used for actions in the past that are seen as completed.

What does the use of the imperfect tense imply about past actions?

The imperfect implies that the past action did not have a definite beginning or end.

Provide an example sentence that illustrates the preterite tense.

Juan habló con la estudiante.

Provide an example sentence that illustrates the imperfect tense.

Las chicas hablaban en inglés.

What are some indicators of the preterite tense?

Ayer, anteayer, ayer por la mañana, el otro día, hace dos días.

What are some indicators of the imperfect tense?

A menudo, cada día, con frecuencia, generalmente, siempre, nunca.

How would you describe actions that occurred repeatedly in the past?

Such actions are typically expressed using the imperfect tense.

Fill in the blank: Los niños __. (What tense is needed?)

Imperfect 'hablaban'.

Fill in the blank: Las chicas __ con el profesor. (What tense is needed?)

Preterite 'hablaron'.

In what ways do the preterite and imperfect tenses differ in time description?

The preterite tells us specifically when an action took place, while the imperfect provides a general timeframe.

What tense would you use for actions that had a clear beginning and end?

You would use the preterite tense.

What is an example of a sentence that uses the word 'antes' in the imperfect?

Ella me veía antes de las ocho de la mañana.