Preterite and Imperfect Tenses

Preterite

is used for completed actions that happened at a specific time in the past.

Imperfect

is used for ongoing, habitual, or background actions in the past.

ayer

Common Preterite Indicator (yesterday)

el año pasado

Common Preterite Indicator (last year)

una vez

Common Preterite Indicator (one time)

de repente

Common Preterite Indicator (suddenly)

todos los días

Common Imperfect Indicator (every day)

siempre

Common Imperfect Indicator (always)

mientras

Common Imperfect Indicator (while)

cuando era niño/a

Common Imperfect Indicator (when I was a child)

Comer (Preterite)

Comí (I ate)

Hablar (Preterite)

Hablé (I spoke)

Escribir (Preterite)

Escribí (I wrote)

Ir (Preterite)

Fui (I went)

Tener (Preterite)

Tuve (I had)

Hacer (Preterite)

Hice (I did/made)

Ver (Preterite)

Vi (I saw)

Llegar (Preterite)

Llegué (I arrived)

Dormir (Preterite)

Dormí (I slept)

Estar (Preterite)

Estuve (I was)

Comer (Imperfect)

Comía (I used to eat)

Hablar (Imperfect)

Hablaba (I used to talk)

Escribir (Imperfect)

Escribía (I used to write)

Ir (Imperfect)

Iba (I used to go)

Tener (Imperfect)

Tenía (I used to have)

Hacer (Imperfect)

Hacía (I used to do/make)

Ver (Imperfect)

Veía (I used to see)

Llegar (Imperfect)

Llegaba (I used to arrive)

Dormir (Imperfect)

Dormía (I used to sleep)

Estar (Imperfect)

Estaba (I used to be)