The preterite tense narrates completed actions in the past and is essential for telling stories about what happened. This guide focuses on regular endings, common signal words, and key irregulars.
Usage
Use the preterite for actions that are finished, for sequences of events, and for single moments in the past. It often contrasts with the imperfect, which describes ongoing or habitual past actions.
Regular Verbs
Regular verbs follow predictable endings in the preterite, making them straightforward to learn with practice. This section covers the three main types: -ar, -er, and -ir.
-ar Verbs
- Hablar and similar -ar verbs follow the same endings in sentences like yo hablé and tú hablaste. Each person has a distinct form.
| Spanish Form | English Meaning | Spanish Form | English Meaning | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| yo hablé | I spoke | nosotros hablamos | we spoke | |
| tú hablaste | you spoke | vosotros hablasteis | you all spoke | |
| él / ella habló | he / she spoke | ellos / ellas hablaron | they spoke |
-er Verbs
- Comer and other -er verbs change endings in predictable ways: yo comí, tú comiste, él comió, etc. The pattern is consistent across regular -er verbs.
| Spanish Form | English Meaning | Spanish Form | English Meaning | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| yo comí | I ate | nosotros comimos | we ate | |
| tú comiste | you ate | vosotros comisteis | you all ate | |
| él / ella comió | he / she ate | ellos / ellas comieron | they ate |
-ir Verbs
- Vivir and similar -ir verbs have the same preterite endings as -er verbs in the regular pattern: yo viví, tú viviste, él vivió, and so on. This makes them easy to learn together.
| Spanish Form | English Meaning | Spanish Form | English Meaning | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| yo viví | I lived | nosotros vivimos | we lived | |
| tú viviste | you lived | vosotros vivisteis | you all lived | |
| él / ella vivió | he / she lived | ellos / ellas vivieron | they lived |
Stem-Changing Verbs
Some verbs change their stem in the preterite, usually in the third person, and these small changes affect meaning and form. This section covers common stem-changing verbs.
Irregular Verbs
Irregular preterite verbs do not follow the standard endings and must be memorized for fluent storytelling. Key examples include ir/ser, hacer, and tener.
ir / ser (to go / to be)
The verbs ir and ser share an irregular preterite form: fui, fuiste, fue, etc. Context tells you which meaning applies.
| Spanish Form | English Meaning | Spanish Form | English Meaning | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| yo fui | I went / I was | nosotros fuimos | we went / we were | |
| tú fuiste | you went / you were | vosotros fuisteis | you all went / were | |
| él / ella fue | he / she went / was | ellos / ellas fueron | they went / they were |
hacer (to do, to make)
Hacer has the irregular preterite stem hic- (with hizo in third person) used for actions completed in the past like yo hice and ella hizo.
| Spanish Form | English Meaning | Spanish Form | English Meaning | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| yo hice | I did / I made | nosotros hicimos | we did / we made | |
| tú hiciste | you did / you made | vosotros hicisteis | you all did / made | |
| él / ella hizo | he / she did / made | ellos / ellas hicieron | they did / they made |
tener (to have)
Tener becomes tuve in the preterite and is used to recount past events when you received or possessed something briefly. All forms follow the irregular pattern.
| Spanish Form | English Meaning | Spanish Form | English Meaning | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| yo tuve | I had | nosotros tuvimos | we had | |
| tú tuviste | you had | vosotros tuvisteis | you all had | |
| él / ella tuvo | he / she had | ellos / ellas tuvieron | they had |
Signal Words
Signal words like ayer, anoche, and el año pasado cue the use of the preterite for completed past actions. These markers help place events in time.
Summary
The preterite narrates finished actions, regular -ar/ -er/ -ir verbs follow set endings, and key irregulars like ir/ser, hacer, and tener must be learned for fluent retelling.
Last updated: Fri Oct 24, 2025