Spanish II: El Pretérito Review

Overview and General Uses of El Pretérito

The Pretérito (Preterite) is a Spanish past tense used to describe specific actions or events that have been completed. This study guide covers the regular and irregular forms, usage rules, and orthographic changes as presented in the Spanish II Final Exam review.

• Primary Uses of the Pretérito:     * One time, completed action: Used for actions that were finished at a specific point.     * What happened, what you did: Used to narrate events or actions.     * Specific start &/or end time: Used when the beginning or the conclusion of an action is clearly defined.

Regular Verb Conjugation Patterns

Regular verbs follow set patterns based on their infinitive endings. The transcript provides thre following paradigms for -ar, -er, and -ir verbs.

• -ar Verbs     * Examples: Hablar, Mirar, Estudiar, Caminar     * Yo: $e$     * Tú: $aste$     * Él, Ella, Ud.: $o$     * Nosotros: $amos$     * Vosotros: $XXXXXX$     * Ellos, Ellas, Uds.: $aron$

• -er / -ir Verbs     * Examples: Comer, Beber, Correr, Vivir, Escribir     * Yo: $i$     * Tú: $iste$     * Él, Ella, Ud.: $io$     * Nosotros: $imos$     * Vosotros: $XXXXXX$     * Ellos, Ellas, Uds.: $ieron$

Irregular Verbs: Ir, Ser, Dar, and Ver

Certain verbs are highly irregular and do not follow standard patterns. Some share identical forms in the preterite tense.

• Verbs with Identical Forms: "Ir" (To go) & "Ser" (To be)     * Yo: $fui$     * Tú: $fuiste$     * Él, Ella, Ud.: $fue$     * Nosotros: $fuimos$     * Vosotros: $XXXXXX$     * Ellos, Ellas, Uds.: $fueron$

• Similar Verbs: "Dar" (To give) & "Ver" (To see)     * The transcript notes these verbs share almost the same forms.     * Conjugation of "Dar":         * Yo: $di$         * Tú: $diste$         * Él, Ella, Ud.: $dio$         * Nosotros: $dimos$         * Vosotros: $XXXXXX$         * Ellos, Ellas, Uds.: $dieron$

Major Irregular Stem Changes (Cambio Radical)

A specific group of seven verbs shares a unique set of irregular endings. These verbs undergo a radical shift in their stem but use the same set of endings across the group.

• Shared Endings for these 7 Irregular Verbs:     * Yo: $e$     * Tú: $iste$     * Él, Ella, Ud.: $o$     * Nosotros: $imos$     * Vosotros: $XXXXXX$     * Ellos, Ellas, Uds.: $ieron$

• Verbs and their Stem Changes:     * $Hacer \rightarrow hic$     * $Tener \rightarrow tuv$     * $Estar \rightarrow estuv$     * $Andar \rightarrow anduv$     * $Poner \rightarrow pus$     * $Poder \rightarrow pud$     * $Saber \rightarrow sup$

Stem-Changing -ir Verbs (Slipper Verbs)

Some -ir verbs undergo stem changes in the preterite ($e \rightarrow i$ or $o \rightarrow u$), but these changes are restricted to specific forms.

• Change Limitation: These changes ONLY HAPPEN IN 2 FORMS: Él, Ella, Usted and Ellos, Ellas, Ustedes.

• Example: Preferir ($e \rightarrow i$):     * Yo: $preferi$     * Tú: $preferiste$     * Él, Ella, Ud.: $prefiri3io$     * Nosotros: $preferimos$     * Vosotros: $XXXXXX$     * Ellos, Ellas, Uds.: $prefirieron$

Spelling Changes in -ar Verbs (-car, -gar, -zar)

Verbs ending in -car, -gar, and -zar require a small spelling change to maintain pronunciation. This change occurs ONLY IN THE ‐YO FORM.

• -car Change:     * -car \rightarrow \text{_que}     * Example: $Buscar \rightarrow \text{Yo busqu3e}$

• -gar Change:     * -gar \rightarrow \text{_gue_}     * Example: $Jugar \rightarrow \text{Yo jugu3e}$

• -zar Change:     * -zar \rightarrow \text{_ce__}     * Example: $Empezar \rightarrow \text{Yo empec3e}$

El Pretérito is a Spanish past tense for specific actions that are completed.

• Uses:

  • One-time completed action

  • Narrating events

  • Defined start or end time

Regular Verb Patterns

-ar Verbs:

• Yo: $é$

• Tú: $aste$

• Él, Ella, Ud.: $ó$

• Nosotros: $amos$

• Ellos: $aron$

-er / -ir Verbs:

• Yo: $í$

• Tú: $iste$

• Él, Ella, Ud.: $ió$

• Nosotros: $imos$

• Ellos: $ieron$

Irregular Verbs

Identical Forms:

• Ir & Ser:

  • Yo: $fui$

  • Tú: $fuiste$

• Similar Forms:

  • Dar & Ver:

  • Yo: $di$

  • Tú: $diste$

Major Irregular Stem Changes

• Shared Endings:

• Yo: $e$

• Tú: $iste$

• Él, Ella: $o$

• Nosotros: $imos$

• Ellos: $ieron$

Examples:

• Hacer: hic

• Tener: tuv

• Estar: estuv

Stem-Changing -ir Verbs

Changes:

• Only in Él/Ella and Ellos/Ellas forms

• Example:

  • Preferir:

  • Él: $prefirió$

  • Ellos: $prefirieron$

Spelling Changes in -ar Verbs

• Only in the Yo form:

  • -car: $-que$

  • -gar: $-gue$

  • -zar: $-ce$