Spanish past tenses are used to describe actions, events, and situations that happened in the past. They provide nuances about how, when, and why something occurred, making storytelling and communication more precise and expressive.
- Preterite Tense: Describes completed actions or events with a clear beginning and end.
- Imperfect Tense: Expresses ongoing, habitual, or background actions in the past.
Spanish past tenses are used for completed actions, ongoing/habitual actions, and background information in the past.
The Preterite tense is used for completed actions in the past.
The Imperfect tense is used for habitual actions, background, and ongoing actions in the past.
Preterite Tense
The Preterite tense expresses completed actions and marks the start or end of events.
Preterite -ar endings include -é, -aste, -ó for yo, tú, él/ella.
The Preterite tense (el pretérito) is used to express actions that were completed in the past, with a clear beginning and end.
- Used for completed actions and events.
- Marks specific moments or sequence of actions.
- Typical endings for -ar: -é, -aste, -ó; for -er/-ir: -í, -iste, -ió.
Preterite is used for completed actions, event sequences, and specific time frames.
Example
| Action | Example |
|---|---|
| Completed Action | Fui al cine ayer. |
| Sequence | Llegó, comió, se fue. |
| Specific Time Frame | Trabajó dos horas. |
An example of the preterite in use is 'Compré un coche' (I bought a car).
Preterite is used for storytelling, main events, and completed actions—not for habitual routines or ongoing emotions.
Imperfect Tense
Imperfect is for routines, background, and ongoing states—not isolated events.
Imperfect -ar endings are -aba, -abas, -aba.
The Imperfect tense (el imperfecto) describes past actions without a defined endpoint, focusing on habit, background, or ongoing states.
- Used for habitual/repeated actions ("used to...").
- Provides background information or context.
- Describes ongoing actions (like "was/were doing").
- Typical endings for -ar: -aba; for -er/-ir: -ía.
Use the Imperfect for routines, scenes, and states—not for finished events.
Example
| Action | Example |
|---|---|
| Habitual Action | Iba al parque cada domingo. |
| Background/Description | Era verano. Había sol. |
| Ongoing Action | Leía cuando llamaste. |
An example of the imperfect is 'Cuando era niño, jugaba al fútbol.'
Imperfect is suitable for habits, background, and descriptions—not for main news events.
Spanish past tenses allow you to express different shades of meaning about the past, from decisive actions to ongoing backgrounds.
- Preterite focuses on completed, isolated actions.
- Imperfect covers routines, contexts, and ongoing states.