Preterite vs Imperfect

a completed action in the past

• preterite

• imperfect

an ongoing action in the past, happened more than once

• preterite

• imperfect

He said

• preterite

• imperfect

He used to say

• preterite

• imperfect

Preterite cue word:

• always

• every day

• yesterday

• usually

Imperfect cue word:

• every week

• last night

• this morning

• the other day

preterite ending

• -abas

• -aste

I went (preterite)

• fui

• iba

I was going (imperfect)

• fui

• iba

we used to talk

• estábamos hablando

• hablábamos

• había

• hablamos