The preterite tense in Spanish is used to describe actions that were completed at a specific point in the past. It provides a clear cut-off, signaling that the action has ended, unlike the imperfect tense which describes ongoing or habitual past actions.
- Used for completed actions, events, or moments in the past.
- Specifies when an action started and ended.
- Distinguishes “finished” actions from ongoing or repeated past actions.
Preterite expresses completed past actions.
Regular Verb Conjugations
Spanish verbs are divided into three groups based on their infinitive endings: -ar, -er, and -ir. Each group has its own set of preterite endings.
| Subject | -ar | -er / -ir |
|---|---|---|
| Yo | -é | -í |
| Tú | -aste | -iste |
| Él/Ella/Ud. | -ó | -ió |
| Nosotros | -amos | -imos |
| Vosotros | -asteis | -isteis |
| Ellos/Uds. | -aron | -ieron |
- For -ar verbs: hablé, hablaste, habló, hablamos, hablasteis, hablaron.
- For -er/-ir verbs: comí, comiste, comió, comimos, comisteis, comieron / viví, viviste, vivió, vivimos, vivisteis, vivieron.
For -ar verbs, the preterite endings are -é, -aste, -ó, -amos, -asteis, -aron.
-er and -ir verbs share the same preterite endings.
Examples
- -ar: Mirar → miré, miraste, miró, miramos, mirasteis, miraron
(I watched, you watched, he/she watched, etc.)
- -er: Beber → bebí, bebiste, bebió, bebimos, bebisteis, bebieron
(I drank, you drank, he/she drank, etc.)
- -ir: Escribir → escribí, escribiste, escribió, escribimos, escribisteis, escribieron
(I wrote, you wrote, he/she wrote, etc.)
'Hablé' is the correct preterite form for 'I spoke' (yo hablé).
Conclusion
The preterite tense is essential for expressing completed actions in the past with precision. Mastering its use and conjugation allows for clear and accurate storytelling in Spanish.
- Use preterite for actions with clear beginnings and ends.
- Regular verb endings vary for -ar vs. -er/-ir.
- Practice with common verbs to build fluency.
The preterite is used for completed actions in the past.
For -ar verbs, use -é, -aste, -ó, -amos, -asteis, -aron.
Yes, -er and -ir verbs share endings: -í, -iste, -ió, -imos, -isteis, -ieron.
'Hablamos' is correct for 'we talked' (preterite of hablar).
'Comimos' is correct for 'we ate' (we ate = preterite of comer).