Regular Verbs

Use the preterite to narrate past actions that have clear beginnings and ends. It often appears in stories, reports, and accounts of past experiences.

Regular verbs follow predictable patterns in the preterite, making them easier to learn. They are categorized by their endings: -ar, -er, and -ir.

Stem-changing verbs alter their stem in certain forms of the preterite, usually in the third-person singular and plural. These changes affect single-syllable stems like dormir and pedir.

Irregular verbs do not follow the standard endings and often have unique stems in the preterite. They are common and important for fluent storytelling.

Signal words like ayer, anoche, and el año pasado often cue the use of the preterite. They help place an action firmly in the past.

The preterite tense tells us about completed past actions. Regular verbs follow set patterns, while irregular and stem-changing verbs must be memorized for smooth narration.