Preterite V.S. Imperfect

Preterite

100

Conjugate Hablar in the yo form

hablé

200

Conjugate comer in the tu form

comiste

300

Conjugate correr in the third person plural form

corrieron

400

Conjugate nadar in third person singular form

nadó

500

Name three triggers for the preterite.

Single Action, interruption, main event (completed action), beginning action, arrivals/departures.

Imperfect

100

Conjugate jugar in yo form

jugaba

200

Conjugate tener in the tu form

tenías

300

Conjugate hacer in the third person plural

hacían

400

Conjugate vivir in the nosotros form

vivíamos

500

Name five triggers for the imperfect.

Characteristic, health, emotion, age, time, endless activities (continuous and/or repeated actions), date.

Irregulars

100

Conjugate andar in the preterite yo form

anduve

200

Conjugate tener in the third person singular form

tuvo

300

Conjugate estar in the preterite nosotros form

estuvimos

400

conjugate ir in the imperfect vosotros form

ibais

500

conjugate ver in the imperfect third person singular form

veía

Translations

100

Translate "i spoke spanish" in spanish.

Hablé español.

200

Translate "we ate yesterday" in spanish

Comimos ayer

300

Translate " Ella nadaba los lunes" in english

She used to swim on mondays

400

you used to have a dog

Tenías un perro.

500

Translate "many times, i would go to the park" in spanish

Muchas veces, iba al parque.

True/ False Rules

100

the preterite tense is used to show that events began or were completed in the past

true

200

the preterite tense does not describe past actions as a completed whole

false, the preterite tense DOES describe past actions as a completed whole

300

the imperfect tense describes the way things were, what use to happen or what was going on

true

400

the imperfect tense has only three irregular verbs

true

500

the preterite is used to describe characteristics in the past.

false, the imperfect is used to describe characteristics in the past.