The Preterite follows a regular pattern for verbs ending in -ar, -er, and -ir in their infinitive forms. The conjugation model is as follows:

Note that -er and -ir verbs share the same conjugation endings in the preterite tense. This makes it easier to remember, as you only need to learn one set of endings for both types of verbs.

The “nosotros” (we) form of the preterite is identical to the present indicative for all regular verbs. For example:

• Hablamos: We speak (present) / We spoke (preterite)
• Comemos: We eat (present) / We ate (preterite)
• Vivimos: We live (present) / We lived (preterite)

This similarity can sometimes lead to ambiguity. However, the context of the sentence or conversation usually clarifies whether the present or preterite is being used.

L2-3.2. GRAMMAR B – OBSERVA y RESPONDE [INDIVIDUAL COMPREHENSION CHECK – PRESENTATIONAL SPEAKING/WRITING]

Lea otra vez el diálogo y conteste las siguientes preguntas.

1. When did the accident occur?
2. Was the football match a one-time event or a recurring activity?
3. When the patient says “Al principio fue un dolor ligero”, does he mean that the pain stopped being light or that the pain is still light?

There are multiple verbs that are coded as “irregular” verbs when being conjugated in the Preterite in Spanish. For instance, there are verbs that follow a “regular” pattern in the Spanish indicative (Spanish “buscar” , English “to find”- Example: Yo busco una clínica que…) but are “irregular” in the Preterite only in the first person singular form (Spanish “buscar”- Example: Yo busqué por años una clínica que…”) while other verbs may be irregular in Present and Preterite and in multiple pronoun forms (yo, tú, él…) such as the verb ser in Spanish (yo soy, tú eres, él es in Present Indicative and you fui, tú fuiste, él fue in the Preterite). This website gives you detailed info as a tutorial on different degrees of irregularities when conjugating the Spanish Preterite in some verbs.

To conclude with the Preterite verb forms, here is a summary of how would you use the Preterite form of the verb when inserting it as part of a sentence. For instance, I would use Preterite form of “quemarse” and add “la semana pasada” to confirm completion of the event: Me quemé en el brazo derecho la semana pasada…  Those expressions such as “la semana pasada” help to build a sentence with conveying an action that was completely finalized. Click here for more details. This info will help you to anticipate the contrast of use between Spanish Preterite and Spanish imperfect (sección Gramática C in this chapter).

L2-3.3. GRAMMAR B- RESPONDE [INDIVIDUAL – PRESENTATIONAL SPEAKING/WRITING]

1. ¿Se cortó alguna vez usted o alguien conocido en algún dedo y sangró? ¿Qué hizo al cortarse para parar la sangre?
2. Describa paso a paso usando al menos 5 verbos irregulares en formas de pretérito un accidente que presenciaste alguna vez en tu vida. Puede ser un accidente casero, laboral, accidente de tráfico, accidente de construcción: ¿qué pasó exactamente paso a paso? Subraye los verbos irregulares de pretérito en negrita. Escriba oraciones varias en forma de un párrafo tipo narrando lo que aconteció.

El imperfecto en español 

Verbs used in the Imperfect form describe continuous or repeated actions in the past. We use the Imperfect forms of a given verb to discuss actions without clear past completions. The Imperfect follows a regular pattern for verbs ending in -ar, -er, and -ir in their infinitive forms. The conjugation model is as follows:

Good news about the Imperfect irregular forms! There are only three verbs that are irregular in Spanish Imperfect: Spanish SER, ESTAR and IR. The conjugation model is as follows:

CONJUGATING ONE same (highly irregular) verb used in Preterite and Imperfect

El pretérito de SER y ESTAR

In the previous chapter, we explored the uses of the verbs SER and ESTAR in the present indicative tense. As you learned, SER is used for what we call the “DOCTOR” categories:

1. Descriptions (permanent or essential qualities)
2. Occupations
3. Characteristics (inherent traits)
4. Time (telling time, dates)
5. Origin (where someone or something is from)
6. Relationships (family, ownership)

On the other hand, ESTAR is used for the “PLACE” categories:

1. Position (physical posture)
2. Location (where someone or something is situated)
3. Action (ongoing actions with the present participle)
4. Condition (temporary states)
5. Emotion (feelings and moods)

In the preterite tense, these verbs maintain similar meanings to their present uses. However, there is a crucial difference: in the preterite, both SER and ESTAR always refer to events or characteristics that have concluded, with a more definitive, completed state in the past. For example:

“Fue médico por diez años” (He/She was a doctor for ten years) – implies he’s no longer a doctor.

“Estuvo enfermo la semana pasada” (He/She was sick last week) – implies he’s no longer sick.

Observe the conjugation of SER and ESTAR in the preterite tense

For comparison purposes, the conjugation of the verb SER and ESTAR in imperfect also follow an irregular pattern (see table above for conjugations of verb SER, ESTAR and IR in Imperfect). In terms of frequency, SER and ESTAR is more used in the Imperfect forms than Preterite forms as these verbs involved “state of being” in the past that either may last for a long period or happens without specifying its inmediate completion. For example:

Cuando era pequeña, no tenía problemas de respiración pero ya cuando estaba en la secundaria y era adolescente, empecé a sentir que me faltaba el aire.

The focus on this sentence is on the “state of being” in the past without emphasizing the duration of the period or when the action of the verb was finalized.

L2: GRAMMAR-B [PAIRS, INTERPERSONAL SPEAKING]

CONVERSE: En parejas platiquen una anécdota donde ustedes o algún amigo/familiar tuvo una lesión. Usando las formas de pretérito de SER y ESTAR comenten ¿dónde fue el accidente?, ¿cómo fue la lesión?, ¿cómo fue el dolor?, ¿por cuánto tiempo estuvo usted (o su conocido) con dolor? Utilicen también al menos formas de imperfecto de SER y ESTAR para describir dónde estaba usted/su conocido/su familiar cuando ocurrió el accidente y describa en el pasado el lugar del accidente en sí.