Preterite vs Imperfect Tense

Done and over with at a completed time

• preterite

• imperfect

Determined start or end time

• preterite

• imperfect

habitual past action

• preterite

• imperfect

setting the scene of a story

• preterite

• imperfect

telling what was happening

• preterite

• imperfect

Interrupts the other tense

• preterite

• imperfect

Ayer, yo _______ una hamburguesa.

• comí

• comía

Muchas veces, yo _______ una hamburguesa.

• comí

• comía

Yo limpiaba la casa cuando el teléfono sonó. Why imperfect (limpiaba) and then preterite (sonó)?

• Habituation and Completed past action

• Preterite interrupts the imperfect

• Preterite set the scene

Preterite actions are those that...

• are actions that are ongoing

• are actions that happen multiple times

• are actions that happen ONE time in the past tense

• are actions that happen simultaneously in the past