In Spanish, we have two main ways to talk about things that happened in the past: the preterite tense and the imperfect tense. They both help us tell stories, but they do different things.

Preterite Tense

• What is it for?
  The preterite tense is used for finished actions. These actions happen at a specific time or one after another.

• Examples:

  • "Ayer, fui al cine."
    (Yesterday, I went to the movies.)
  • "Ella estudió todo el día."
    (She studied all day.)

Imperfect Tense

• What is it for?
  The imperfect tense is used for actions that were happening in the past or for things that happened regularly. It helps set the scene or give background information.

• Examples:

  • "Cuando era niño, jugaba en el parque."
    (When I was a child, I used to play in the park.)
  • "Estaba lloviendo cuando llegué."
    (It was raining when I arrived.)

Key Differences

1. Finished vs. Ongoing:

   • Preterite: This is for actions that are done.
     (Example: "comí taco" - I ate a taco.)
   • Imperfect: This is for actions that were happening over time or for habits.
     (Example: "comía tacos" - I used to eat tacos.)

2. Time Frame:

   • Preterite: This tells us exactly when something happened.
     (Example: "la semana pasada" - last week.)
   • Imperfect: This gives background or sets the scene.
     (Example: "siempre" - always.)

Using these tenses correctly can help you tell better stories in Spanish!