World Languages
Department

Lake Tahoe
Community College

Intensive Spanish Summer Institute

The preterite expresses an action, state, or condition that is considered completely finished. 

I went to class yesterday. 
Fui a clase ayer.

They studied a lot last year. 
Estudiaron mucho el año pasado.

I was born in 1970. 
Nací en mil novecientos setenta.

She came to the concert. 
Ella vino al concierto.

I arrived late. 
Llegué tarde.

The imperfect has many uses in the past. It narrates a scene, expresses an action, state or condition that was in progress.

Describe something in progress

The wind was blowing. 
El viento soplaba.

The grandparents were reading. 
Los abuelos leían.

Express a habit, continued action

I always went to bed at 10:00. 
Siempre me acostaba a las diez.

We used to play frequently. 
Jugábamos frecuentemente.

Describe physical conditions or characteristics

She was young and pretty. 
Ella era joven y bonita.

The tree had golden leaves. 
El árbol tenía hojas doradas.

Express mental conditions, wishes, opinions

She wanted to go to the party. 
Ella quería ir a la fiesta.

She felt happy. 
Ella se sentía contenta.

Telling time

It was noon. 
Era el mediodía.

It was 11:00. 
Eran las once.

Age

I was 20 years old. 
Yo tenía veinte años.

How old were you? 
¿Cuántos años tenías tú?