Preterite vs Imperfect

Spanish: Pretérito Indefinido vs Pretérito Imperfecto

Level: B1 Intermediate

Category: verbs

Explanation

In Spanish there are two main tenses for talking about the past: the preterite (pretérito indefinido) and the imperfect (pretérito imperfecto). The difference between them is not about WHEN the action happened, but about HOW we view that action. The preterite presents completed, finished actions, like a point in time: "Ayer comí paella" (Yesterday I ate paella). The imperfect presents actions in progress, habitual actions, or descriptions of the past, like a continuous line: "Cuando era niño, comía paella todos los domingos" (When I was a child, I used to eat paella every Sunday). We use the preterite for concrete, finished actions, facts that move the story forward, and sequences of events. Words like "ayer" (yesterday), "anoche" (last night), "el año pasado" (last year), "de repente" (suddenly) often accompany it. For example: "Llegué al hotel, dejé las maletas y salí a cenar" (I arrived at the hotel, left my bags, and went out to dinner). Each action is a complete event. We use the imperfect to describe context, circumstances, habitual or repeated past actions, physical and emotional descriptions, time, and age. Words like "siempre" (always), "normalmente" (usually), "todos los días" (every day), "mientras" (while) often accompany it. For example: "Hacía sol y la gente paseaba por el parque" (It was sunny and people were strolling in the park). Here we describe a background scene. Very often both tenses appear together in the same sentence: the imperfect describes the background or ongoing situation, and the preterite introduces the action that interrupts or happens at that moment. For example: "Mientras cenaba (imperfect, ongoing action), sonó (preterite, single action) el teléfono" (While I was having dinner, the phone rang). Mastering this combination is key to narrating in Spanish.

Examples

• Ayer cene en un restaurante muy bueno cerca del hotel. - Yesterday I had dinner at a very good restaurant near the hotel.
• Cuando era estudiante, comia en este cafe todos los dias. - When I was a student, I used to eat at this cafe every day.
• Mientras esperaba el tren, lei el periodico. - While I was waiting for the train, I read the newspaper.
• Eran las nueve de la manana cuando llegamos al museo. - It was nine in the morning when we arrived at the museum.
• El farmaceutico me dio la medicina y me explico como tomarla. - The pharmacist gave me the medicine and explained how to take it.