The Preterite: -AR Verbs

The Preterite: -AR Verbs

How to Talk about Past Events

What is the Preterite?

The preterite is a speaking tense in Spanish that is used to talk about completed actions in the the past. In English, it would be verbs that end in -ed.

Multiple Choice

Pop Question! What is the preterite used for?

• Completed events in the present

• Events in the future

• Completed events in the past

• Events in the present

How to Conjugate -AR Verbs

• Today, we will be looking at the preterite form of -ar verbs

• Every ending in the preterite (except in nosotros) is different compared to the present tense.

• -AR verbs that have a stem change in the present DO NOT have a stem change in the preterite.

Multiple Select

Select ALL of the preterite -AR verb endings.

• Í

• ASTEIS

• IÓ

• ARON

• ASTE

Multiple Choice

What is the correct Spanish translation of the English sentence? "Last night, I studied for my biology test."

• Anoche, yo estudiar para mi examen de la biología.

• Anoche, yo estudiaba para mi examen de la biología.

• Anoche, yo estudio para mi examen de la biología.

• Anoche, yo estudié para mi examen de la biología.

Helpful Expressions

• The following words and expression should help you determine if you need to use the preterite:

• Anoche --> Last night

• Ayer --> Yesterday

• La semana pasada --> Last week

• El mes pasado --> Last month

• El año pasado --> Last year

Multiple Choice

What tense and conjugation should you use for this Spanish sentence? "Ayer, mi madre y yo ____ (comprar; to buy) zapatos nuevos.

• Preterite; compramos

• Present; compramos

• Present; compran

• Preterite; compraron

Multiple Choice

What tense and conjugation should you use for this Spanish sentence? "El año pasado, mis hermanas ___ (jugar; to play) al fútbol con sus equipo.

• Preterite; jugaste

• Present; juegan

• Preterite; jugaron

• Present; juegas

-CAR, -GAR, -ZAR Verbs

• Verbs that end in -car, -gar, and -zar have a spelling change in the first person singular (Yo form).

• These changes to the first person only apply in the preterite and the first person

Fill in the Blanks

Write the correct Spanish translation of the English sentence: "Last week, I played tennis with my parents."

Multiple Choice

What is the correct translation of the English sentence? "Last night, I stared cleaning the kitchen."

• Anoche, yo comenzé a limpiar la cocina.

• Anoche, yo comencé a limpiar la cocina.

• Anoche, yo empecé a limpiar la cocina

• Anoche, yo empezé a limpiar la cocina.

Lets practice!

On the next 5 slides, you will practice the preterite for -ar verbs,-car/-gar/-zar verbs, and determine if the sentence is in the past or the present.

Fill in the Blanks

Write the Spanish translation of this English sentence: "Last week, I talked to my grandparents."

Multiple Choice

What is the correct Spanish translation of the English sentence? "Last night, my mother cooked meatloaf with green beans."

• Anoche, mi madre cocina pastel de carne con judías verdes.

• Anoche, mi madre cocinó pastel de carne con judías verdes.

• Anoche, mi madre cocinar pastel de carne con judías verdes.

• Ayer, mi madre cocinó pastel de carne con judías verdes.

Multiple Choice

What is the correct tense and conjugation of this English sentence? "Last night, I ___ (usar; to use) mi cepillo hacer mi pelo.

• Present; uso

• Preterite; usí

• Future; usaré

• Preterite; usé

Fill in the Blanks

Write the Spanish translation of the English sentence: "Last week, my cousins and I visited our grandparents."

Fill in the Blanks

Write the Spanish translation of the English sentence: "Last year, I danced in the annual dance competition."