The preterite (or simple past) narrates completed actions and events in the past, and it features distinct forms for regular and irregular verbs.
Usage
Use the preterite to describe finished actions, habitual past actions, and sequences of events. It often appears in storytelling, reports, and accounts of past experiences.
Regular Verbs
Regular verbs follow predictable patterns in the preterite, making them easier to learn and apply consistently.
-ar Verbs
-ar verbs form the preterite with endings like é, aste, ó, amos, asteis, and aron.
| Spanish Word(s) | English Translation(s) | |
|---|---|---|
| hablar | to speak | |
| yo hablé | I spoke | |
| tú hablaste | you spoke | |
| él/ella habló | he/she spoke | |
| nosotros hablamos | we spoke | |
| vosotros hablasteis | you (pl.) spoke | |
| ellos/ellas hablaron | they spoke |
-er Verbs
-er verbs use endings like í, iste, ió, imos, isteis, and ieron in the preterite.
| Spanish Word(s) | English Translation(s) | |
|---|---|---|
| comer | to eat | |
| yo comí | I ate | |
| tú comiste | you ate | |
| él/ella comió | he/she ate | |
| nosotros comimos | we ate | |
| vosotros comisteis | you (pl.) ate | |
| ellos/ellas comieron | they ate |
-ir Verbs
-ir verbs follow the same preterite endings as -er verbs: í, iste, ió, imos, isteis, and ieron.
| Spanish Word(s) | English Translation(s) | |
|---|---|---|
| vivir | to live | |
| yo viví | I lived | |
| tú viviste | you lived | |
| él/ella vivió | he/she lived | |
| nosotros vivimos | we lived | |
| vosotros vivisteis | you (pl.) lived | |
| ellos/ellas vivieron | they lived |
Yesterday I ate a pizza for dinner.
Stem-Changing Verbs
Some verbs change their stem in the preterite, usually only in the third person forms, and these changes affect meaning and pronunciation.
Irregular Verbs
Irregular verbs in the preterite do not follow the standard endings and must be memorized for fluent narration of past events.
ir / ser (to go / to be)
Ir and ser share the same irregular preterite forms, so context determines whether the action was going somewhere or being something.
| Spanish Word(s) | English Translation(s) | |
|---|---|---|
| ir/ser | to go / to be | |
| yo fui | I went / I was | |
| tú fuiste | you went / you were | |
| él/ella fue | he/she went / was | |
| nosotros fuimos | we went / we were | |
| vosotros fuisteis | you (pl.) went / were | |
| ellos/ellas fueron | they went / they were |
hacer (to do, to make)
Hacer is irregular in the preterite and is commonly used to describe completed activities and events.
| Spanish Word(s) | English Translation(s) | |
|---|---|---|
| hacer | to do / to make | |
| yo hice | I did / I made | |
| tú hiciste | you did / you made | |
| él/ella hizo | he/she did / made | |
| nosotros hicimos | we did / we made | |
| vosotros hicisteis | you (pl.) did / made | |
| ellos/ellas hicieron | they did / they made |
tener (to have)
Tener has an irregular preterite stem and is often used to describe received possessions, experiences, or obligations in the past.
| Spanish Word(s) | English Translation(s) | |
|---|---|---|
| tener | to have | |
| yo tuve | I had | |
| tú tuviste | you had | |
| él/ella tuvo | he/she had | |
| nosotros tuvimos | we had | |
| vosotros tuvisteis | you (pl.) had | |
| ellos/ellas tuvieron | they had |
Signal Words
Signal words like ayer, anoche, and el año pasado frequently accompany the preterite and help place actions firmly in the past.
Summary
The preterite narrates completed past actions; learn regular -ar, -er, and -ir endings first, then memorize key irregular verbs to tell stories smoothly.
Regular Verbs
-ar Verbs
-er Verbs
-ir Verbs
Last updated: Fri Oct 24, 2025