Preterito vs. Imperfecto

When you are describing something in the past, which tense do you use?

• Preterite
• Imperfect

To talk about past actions that are complete, which tense do you use?

• Preterite
• Imperfect

When you are listing a sequence of events in the past, which tense(s) do you use? (Ex: I went to art class, I sat in my chair, and I painted a portrait.)

• Imperfect
• Preterite
• It depends

(SER) las dos de la tarde cuando ellos (LLEGAR) a la clase. 

• eran, llegaban
• fueron, llegaron
• eran, llegaron
• fueron, llegaban

When one action is interrupted by another action in the past, which tense(s) do you use? (Ex: I was doing my homework when the power went out.)

• Both verbs = Imp
• Both verbs = pret
• 1st = pret; 2nd = imp
• 1st = imp; 2nd = pret

To talk about repeated actions in the past, which tense do you use?

• Imperfect
• Preterite

Mientras el profesor (ENSEÑAR) los estudiantes (TOMAR) apuntes. 

• enseñaba, tomaban
• enseñó, tomaron
• enseñaba, tomaron
• enseñó, tomaban

Yo (CAMINAR) por la calle cuando (VER) un accidente. 

• caminé, vi
• caminé, veía
• caminaba, veía
• caminaba, vi

Mi padre (ESTAR) muy feliz cuando yo le (DECIR) que (SACAR) una A.

• estaba, dije, saqué
• estuvo, dije, saqué
• estaba, decía, sacaba
• estuvo, decía, sacaba

When two actions are happening simultaneously in the past, which tense(s) do you use? (Ex: While the artist was painting, he was listening to music.)

• both verbs = imp
• both verbs = pret 
• 1st = imp; 2nd = pret
• 1st = pret; 2nd = imp