Irregular Preterite

Irregular Preterite

Irregular Preterite
(QUICK REVIEW)

​Preterite of Ser & Ir

• Both:

  • are irregular

  • are identical in the preterite

    • context clarifies which of the two verb is being used

  • must be memorized!

​fui	fuimos​
​fuiste	X​
fue​	fueron​

​fui	fuimos​
fuiste​	X​
​fue	fueron​

​ir: to go

​ser: to be

Multiple Choice

Which verb is being used, IR or SER?

Los viajeros fueron a Perú.

• ser

• ir

Multiple Choice

Which verb is being used, IR or SER?

Usted fue muy amable con mi hermano.

• ser

• ir

​Like Ser and Ir in the preterite,
the following lists of verbs:

• are completely irregular

  • irregular stem in ALL FORMS

  • irregular endings

  • no accents

• MUST BE MEMORIZED

​u-stems

poder (to be able/can) =

poner (to put/set) =

saber (to know info-how to) =

​Infinitive

Irregular stem

Preterite endings

​pud-

pus-

sup-

​-e	​-imos
-iste​	​x
-o​	-ieron​

​u + v -stems

​tener (to have) =

estar (to be/ PLACE) =
andar (to walk/ to ride)=

​Infinitive

Irregular stem

Preterite endings

​tuv-

estuv-
anduv-

​-e	​-imos
-iste​	​x
-o​	-ieron​

​j-stems

decir (to say/tell) =

traer (to bring) =

conducir (to drive/conduct) =
producir (to produce) =
traducir (to translate) =

​Infinitive

Irregular stem

Preterite endings

​dij-

traj-

conduj-
produj-

traduj-

​-e	​-imos
-iste​	​x
-o​	-eron​

​****Most -cir ending verbs are j-stems in the preterite.

​***j-stems drop the i in the ellos/ellas/Uds. form!!!

​i-stems

querer (to want) =

hacer (to do/make) =
venir (to come) =

​Infinitive

Irregular stem

Preterite endings

quis-

hic- (-hiz in él/ella/Ud.)
​vin-

​-e	​-imos
-iste​	​x
-o​	-ieron​

​i-stems

​The preterite of dar (to give)

di​	dimos​
diste​	​x
dio​	dieron​

​The preterite of ver (to watch)

vi​	vimos​
viste​	​x
vio​	vieron​

​hay = (there is / there are)
in the present tense

***​The infinitive of hay is haber

The preterite of hay is hubo (there was / there were)

​Hubo una fiesta el viernes pasado.
There was a party last Friday.