El pretérito v. el imperfecto

Preterite Name

SAFER

Sequence = meaning & tense

• Series of completed events or actions, SPECIFIC number of instances.

• Preterite tense

Action = meaning & tense

• Interrupts ongoing event

• Preterite tense

Focus on the BEGINNING or END of action = tense

• preterite

Enclosed = meaning & tense

• ____ amount of time (specific duration) or at specific time.

• Preterite

Reactions = meaning & tense

• (emotional or otherwise)

• Preterite

Imperfect name

WATERS

Weather = tense

weather used imperfect

Age = tense

Age used imperfect

Telling time in past= tense

Telling time in past used imperfect

Emotion= tense

Emotion uses imperfect

Repeated/ habitual actions= tense

Repeated / habitual actions use imperfect

Setting / description = tense

Setting / description uses imperfect

Haber (Hubo) in preterite

There was (occurred)

Conocer in preterite

To meet for the FIRST time

Poder in the preterite

Succeeded

No poder in the preterite

Failed

Querer in preterite

Tried

No querer in preterite

Refused

Saber in preterite

Found out

Tener in preterite

Got / received