Huerta
Try free
Guide · A2 · 4 min read
Preterite vs imperfect: the scene and the event
The short answer
Use the preterite for things that happened and finished: events, one-offs, actions with a clear end (ayer compré pan). Use the imperfect for the background: what was going on, how things were, and what used to happen (antes viajaba mucho). In a story, the imperfect sets the scene and the preterite is what happens in it.
Practise it free in Huerta Free during early access · no account needed · works offline
Key points
- Preterite = what happened. Imperfect = what was going on, or used to happen.
- If English says “was …-ing” or “used to”, it’s usually the imperfect.
- Ayer and anoche usually point to the preterite; antes, siempre and mientras to the imperfect.
- Together: Estaba en casa cuando sonó el teléfono.
The scene and the event
Picture a film. The imperfect is the set: the weather, the room, what people were doing. The preterite is the action that happens on that set. Most past-tense choices come down to which one you’re describing.
- Estaba en casa cuando ocurrió el accidente.I was at home when the accident happened.
- Llovía cuando salí.It was raining when I went out.
The preterite: what happened
Finished actions, often with a time that’s over: yesterday, last night, last year.
- Ayer llamé a mi padre.Yesterday I called my father.
- Llamé a mi madre.I called my mother.
- El ministro habló ayer.The minister spoke yesterday.
| hablar | comer | |
|---|---|---|
| yo | hablé | comí |
| tú | hablaste | comiste |
| él / ella / usted | habló | comió |
| nosotros | hablamos | comimos |
| vosotros | hablasteis | comisteis |
| ellos / ellas / ustedes | hablaron | comieron |
Memory hookWatch the accent: compro is “I buy”, compró is “he or she bought”.
The imperfect: how things were
Habits, descriptions and anything “in progress” in the past. Only three verbs are irregular in it (ser, ir and ver), which makes it the friendliest past tense in Spanish.
- Antes viajaba mucho.I used to travel a lot.
- Bailábamos mucho.We used to dance a lot.
- Antes vivíamos en el campo.We used to live in the countryside.
| hablar | comer | |
|---|---|---|
| yo | hablaba | comía |
| tú | hablabas | comías |
| él / ella / usted | hablaba | comía |
| nosotros | hablábamos | comíamos |
| vosotros | hablabais | comíais |
| ellos / ellas / ustedes | hablaban | comían |
Signal words
These words don’t decide the tense on their own, but they’re strong hints:
| Usually preterite | Usually imperfect |
|---|---|
| ayer (yesterday) | antes (before, used to) |
| anoche (last night) | siempre (always) |
| el año pasado (last year) | mientras (while) |
| de pronto (suddenly) | todos los días (every day) |
Quick check
1 Ayer ___ pan. (comprar, I)
compré: A finished action, yesterday: preterite.
2 Antes ___ mucho. (viajar, I)
viajaba: “Used to”: imperfect.
3 Mientras ___, sonó el teléfono. (dormir, I)
dormía: What was going on: imperfect.
4 Era tarde cuando ___. (llegar, we)
llegamos: The event in the scene: preterite.
Tap a question to check your answer.
Practise this in Huerta
These levels teach it, with every word and example reviewed at just the right moment:
Questions
How do I know whether to use the preterite or the imperfect?
Ask whether you’re telling what happened (preterite) or describing what was going on or used to happen (imperfect). “Was …-ing” and “used to” in English almost always mean the imperfect.
Which verbs are irregular in the imperfect?
Only three: ser (era), ir (iba) and ver (veía). Every other verb is regular in the imperfect.
Can both tenses be in one sentence?
Yes, and they often are: the imperfect for the background and the preterite for the event, as in estaba en casa cuando sonó el teléfono.
Keep reading
- B1 · 5 min readThe Spanish subjunctive, explained simplyWhen Spanish uses the subjunctive: wishes, hopes, feelings, doubt and “so that”. How to form it in three steps, the irregular verbs, and real examples.
- A1–A2 · 5 min readSer vs estar: the rule that actually worksWhen to use ser and when to use estar in Spanish, with one simple rule, the exceptions that matter, real examples and a quick quiz.