¿PRETERITO O ¿PRETERITO O IMPERFECTO?IMPERFECTO?

A SURVIVOR’S GUIDE TO CHOOSING THE RIGHT PAST

TENSE VERB IN SPANISH

REPASOREPASO

• SPANISH HAS TWO PAST TENSES:

• PRETERITE: FOR COMPLETED ACTIONS IN THE PAST

• IMPERFECT FOR ONGOING OR REPEATED PAST ACTIONS

• NATIVES KNOW AUTOMATICALLY WHICH TO CHOOSE, BUT WE NEED CLUES TO PICK THE RIGHT VERB.

PRETERITO• ACTIONS THAT ARE COMPLETED OR HAVE A

DEFINED BEGINNING AND ENDING IN THE PAST ARE PRETERITE.

• EX: Martín puso su mano por la ventana del coche.

PRETERITO : Actions in Series• For a series of

actions in the past we also use preterite. (HINT: one action must be completed before you can start the next one)

• El se puso sus zapatos y salió del cuarto.

IMPERFECTO• Use imperfect verbs

for actions in the past that do not have a defined beginning or end.

• Actions that end in “ING” in English are imperfect in Spanish.

• Ex: Fritz was wearing a funny hat. Fritz llevaba una gorra chistosa.

IMPERFECTO para Narración• Use imperfect verbs

to describe the scene, set the stage. Weather, descriptions, emotions, all take imperfect in Spanish.

• EX: Hacía sol.• EX: Los pájaros

cantaban.• EX: Estaba feliz.

IMPERFECTO para LA HORA

• When you are talking about CLOCK TIME in general ALWAYS use IMPERFECT.

• Eran las dos de la mañana.

• Era mediodía.• Era la una.

So Far…• PRETERITO• Completed Actions• One time Actions• Actions in a series• IMPERFECTO• Ongoing Actions• -ING Actions• Describe the scene

actions• Clock time actions.

TIME TO CHECK WHAT YOU KNOW SO FAR…

•Por cada frase, decide si es imperfecto o preterito y indica tu respuesta con el clicker.

•Piensa en las condiciones y usa tus apuntes para decidir.

•¿LISTOS?

PRACTICA: A= IMP, B = PRET

• 1. José _________ su tarea en su mochila. (PONER)

• 2. Ellos _________ a la piscina mucho en verano. (IR)

• 3. _________ las 4:30 de la tarde. (SER)• 4. Nosotros _______ en la biblioteca. (LEER)• 5. Ayer, yo ________ un libro en la

biblioteca. (LEER)• 6. _________ mucho frio en Alaska. (HACER)

InterruptionsInterruptions

• When you have two actions in a sentence and one interrupts the other, use…

• PRETERITE for the interruptor or shorter action.

• IMPERFECT for the interrupted or longer action.

• I was watching TV when Nando called.• Nando called when I was watching TV.

Practica: A = Imp, B = Preterite

Tú -1- una fiesta enorme cuando –2- la policia a tu casa.

1. A= tenías B= tuviste2. A= llegaba B= llegó

Vicente –1- a mi casa cuando yo -2- su novia.

• 1. A= venía B = vino• 2. A= besaba B = besó

Remember whatever gets interrupted is IMPERFECTO, the interruptor is PRETERITO.

Alejandro –1- X-BOX cuando su madre le -2-.1. A= jugaba B= jugó2. A= gritaba B= gritó

El semáforo se -1- rojo cuando yo -2- mi coche.

13. A= ponía B = puso14. A= manejaba B= manejó

PRETERITE BUZZ WORDS

• Una vez Once• De repente Suddenly• Anoche Last night• Ayer Yesterday• El/la ___ pasado last ____

• Always use a preterite verb with these words because the action is completed.

Imperfect Buzz Words

• Muchas veces many times• A menudo often• Frecuentemente frequently• Todos los + ____ every/all• Cada each, every• Generalmente usually• Siempre always• A veces at times• Nunca never

These words will always prompt you for an imperfect verb, because they imply repetition.

PRACTICA: Lee la frase y decide ¿preterito o imperfecto?

• Mi mamá siempre _____ la cena para mi familia. A= preparaba B= preparó

• A menudo tú ______ helado en verano con tus amigos.

A= comías B= comió

• De repente el coche ______con un árbol.

A= chocaba B = chocó

Imperfecto para describir…

Use imperfect to describe:

Conditions, emotions, weather, physical descriptions, personality traits, what was going on in the background.

Ej: Hacía sol. El ciel era azul. El castillo enorme estaba en la montaña.

IMPERFECTO

• Imperfecto verbs Imperfecto verbs are responsible are responsible for moving the for moving the story story outwardoutward, , they set the they set the scene, give scene, give descriptions and descriptions and offer the stage offer the stage for events.for events.

PRETERITOPRETERITO• Preterite verbs Preterite verbs

are responsible are responsible for moving the for moving the story story forwardforward. . They are used to They are used to tell actions that tell actions that happened.happened.

• They are also They are also used after quotes used after quotes in dialogue.in dialogue.

PRETERITO O IMPERFECTO?

• “¡Ayudame por favor!” _____ la princesa.

A = gritaba B = gritó

• El principe ___ la torre. (climbed)

A= subía B= subió

• Ellos ____ felices para siempre.

A= vivían B= vivieron

SIMULTANEOUS ACTIONSSIMULTANEOUS ACTIONS

• Two actions that are going on at exactly the same time in the past use IMPERFECT verbs.

• The “buzz” word is MIENTRAS=WHILE

• EX: Pedro lloraba mientras el peluquero cortaba su pelo.

¡PRUEBA! PRUEBA! A= IMPA= IMP B= PRETB= PRET

• 21. After quotes• 22. Siempre• 23. Muchas veces• 24. Una vez• 25. Generalmente• 26. De repente• 27.Completed Action• 28. Repeated Action• 29. Frecuentemente

• 30. Sets the scene.• 31. Series of actions.• 32. Interruptor• 33.Describes weather• 34. Clock Time• 35. Describe Emotions• 36. Interrupted• 37. Dialogue• 38. Born and dying• 39. Mientras

Thoroughly confused yet??• No worries… a lot

of preterite vs imperfect is just practicing. The more you do, the better you get at it.

• There is one more scenario we need to explore however…

Think of a traffic light…

• Preterite is like red. You stop and it’s a completed action.

• Imperfect is like green, its ongoing and you keep driving!

The YELLOW light…

Warns you that it’s going to change. Sometimes you slow down, sometimes you speed up.

There are verbs in Spanish that work like the light. If you use them in preterite they mean one thing, if you use imperfect they mean another.

Sometimes you will use one, sometimes the other. Just like the intersection.

YELLOW LIGHT VERBS

• PRETERITO VERBO IMPERFECTO

• To find out SABER to know

• To meet CONOCER to know

• To refuse NO QUERER to not want

• To try and fail NO PODER to be unable

• To succeed PODER to be able to

A= Preterito B= Imperfecto40) Carlos no PODER salir anoche porque

tenía que estudiar.

41) Anita SABER el secreto en clase.

42) Yo CONOCER a todas las personas en la fiesta.

43) Ella invitó a Carlos pero NO QUERER ir.

44) El niño NO QUERER comer sus verduras.

45) ¡Nosotros PODER ganar el partido, somos los campeones!