How to Choose Between Preterite and Imperfect for Past Actions

When you want to share something that happened in the past, you need to know whether to use the preterite or imperfect tense. Here are some easy rules to help you decide.

Preterite

• Use the preterite for actions that are:
  • Completed: These actions have a clear start and finish.
    • For example: "Ayer, fui al mercado."
    • (This means "Yesterday, I went to the market.")
• Words that show preterite:
  • ayer (yesterday)
  • anoche (last night)
  • el año pasado (last year)

Imperfect

• Use the imperfect for actions that are:

  • Habitual: These actions happened often or regularly.
    • For example: "Cuando era niño, iba al parque todos los sábados."
    • (This means "When I was a child, I used to go to the park every Saturday.")
  • Background descriptions: This is when you are setting the scene or talking about ongoing actions.
    • For example: "Era un día soleado."
    • (This means "It was a sunny day.")

• Words that show imperfect:

  • siempre (always)
  • a menudo (often)
  • cada día (every day)

Summary

• Preterite is for specific, completed actions.
• Imperfect is for actions that happen regularly and for descriptions.

By remembering these rules, you can easily choose the right tense when talking about past events!