spanish preterite

PRETERITE - what is it used for?

Actions or states that began or were completed at a definite time in the past

Two simple past tenses in Spanish

The preterite (el pretérito) and the imperfect (el imperfecto)

How to form the regular preterite

Drop the infinitive ending (-ar, -er, -ir) and add the preterite endings

-ar preterite endings

-é, -aste, -ó, -amos, -asteis, -aron

-er and -ir preterite endings

-í, -iste, -ió, -imos, -isteis, -ieron (-er and -ir endings are identical)

Which regular preterite forms need a written accent?

The yo form and the usted/él/ella form

comprar

to buy

yo compré

I bought

tú compraste

you bought

él/ella/usted compró

he/she/you (formal) bought

nosotros compramos

we bought

vosotros comprasteis

you all (Spain) bought

ellos/ellas/ustedes compraron

they/you all bought

vender

to sell

yo vendí

I sold

tú vendiste

you sold

él/ella/usted vendió

he/she/you (formal) sold

nosotros vendimos

we sold

vosotros vendisteis

you all (Spain) sold

ellos/ellas/ustedes vendieron

they/you all sold

abrir

to open

yo abrí

I opened

tú abriste

you opened

él/ella/usted abrió

he/she/you (formal) opened

nosotros abrimos

we opened

vosotros abristeis

you all (Spain) opened

ellos/ellas/ustedes abrieron

they/you all opened

Ayer empecé un nuevo trabajo.

Yesterday I started a new job.

Mi mamá preparó una cena deliciosa.

My mom prepared a delicious dinner.

-car, -gar, -zar verbs in the preterite

Spelling change in the yo form only: -car → -qué, -gar → -gué, -zar → -cé

buscar

to look for

yo busqué

I looked for

tú buscaste

you looked for

él/ella/usted buscó

he/she/you (formal) looked for

nosotros buscamos

we looked for

vosotros buscasteis

you all (Spain) looked for

ellos/ellas/ustedes buscaron

they/you all looked for

llegar

to arrive

yo llegué

I arrived

tú llegaste

you arrived

él/ella/usted llegó

he/she/you (formal) arrived

nosotros llegamos

we arrived

vosotros llegasteis

you all (Spain) arrived

ellos/ellas/ustedes llegaron

they/you all arrived

empezar

to begin, to start

yo empecé

I began

tú empezaste

you began

él/ella/usted empezó

he/she/you (formal) began

nosotros empezamos

we began

vosotros empezasteis

you all (Spain) began

ellos/ellas/ustedes empezaron

they/you all began

caer, creer, leer, oír in the preterite

-i- changes to -y- in the third-person forms (él/ella/usted and ellos/ellas/ustedes); all other forms get a written accent on the -i-

caer

to fall

yo caí

I fell

tú caíste

you fell

él/ella/usted cayó

he/she/you (formal) fell

nosotros caímos

we fell

vosotros caísteis

you all (Spain) fell

ellos/ellas/ustedes cayeron

they/you all fell

creer

to believe

yo creí

I believed

tú creíste

you believed

él/ella/usted creyó

he/she/you (formal) believed

nosotros creímos

we believed

vosotros creísteis

you all (Spain) believed

ellos/ellas/ustedes creyeron

they/you all believed

leer

to read

yo leí

I read (past)

tú leíste

you read (past)

él/ella/usted leyó

he/she/you (formal) read (past)

nosotros leímos

we read (past)

vosotros leísteis

you all (Spain) read (past)

ellos/ellas/ustedes leyeron

they/you all read (past)

oír

to hear

yo oí

I heard

tú oíste

you heard

él/ella/usted oyó

he/she/you (formal) heard

nosotros oímos

we heard

vosotros oísteis

you all (Spain) heard

ellos/ellas/ustedes oyeron

they/you all heard

Verbs ending in -uir in the preterite

-i- changes to -y- in the third-person forms

construir

to build, to construct

yo construí

I built

tú construiste

you built

él/ella/usted construyó

he/she/you (formal) built

nosotros construimos

we built

vosotros construisteis

you all (Spain) built

ellos/ellas/ustedes construyeron

they/you all built

incluir

to include

yo incluí

I included

tú incluiste

you included

él/ella/usted incluyó

he/she/you (formal) included

nosotros incluimos

we included

vosotros incluisteis

you all (Spain) included

ellos/ellas/ustedes incluyeron

they/you all included

Stem-changing verbs in the preterite

Only -ir stem-changing verbs change, and only in the third-person forms (e → i, o → u). Stem-changing -ar and -er verbs do NOT change in the preterite.

pedir

to ask for, to request

yo pedí

I asked for

tú pediste

you asked for

él/ella/usted pidió

he/she/you (formal) asked for