Preterite vs Imperfect Spanish Grammar

What You'll Learn

Understand when to use preterite for completed, specific past actions
Know when to use imperfect for ongoing, habitual, or descriptive past situations
Recognise signal words that indicate which tense to use (ayer vs siempre)
Learn the "snapshot vs video" concept for choosing the right past tense
Use both tenses together in narratives to create context and action
Avoid common mistakes like translating "used to" literally or misusing time expressions

Overview / Usage

One of the most challenging aspects of Spanish grammar is knowing when to use the preterite versus the imperfect tense. Both describe past actions, but they paint very different pictures of how those actions unfolded.

🎬 Think of it Like Movies

Preterite = Snapshot

"I walked to school"

Specific, completed action

Imperfect = Video

"I was walking to school"

Ongoing scene or habit

Understanding this distinction will help you choose the right tense and communicate more precisely about past events.

Structure & Formation

⚖️ When to Use Each Tense

📸 Use Preterite For:

✅ Completed Actions

Ayer comí pizza

Yesterday I ate pizza

⏰ Specific Time/Duration

Estudié por tres horas

I studied for three hours

🔢 Sequence of Events

Llegué, abrí la puerta y entré

I arrived, opened the door and went in

🎥 Use Imperfect For:

🔄 Habitual Actions

Siempre comía pizza

I always used to eat pizza

⏳ Ongoing Actions

Estudiaba cuando llegaste

I was studying when you arrived

🖼️ Descriptions

La casa era grande y bonita

The house was big and beautiful

🔍 Signal Words That Help You Decide

📸 Preterite Signals

ayer (yesterday)
anoche (last night)
el año pasado (last year)
por tres horas (for three hours)
de repente (suddenly)
entonces (then)

🎥 Imperfect Signals

siempre (always)
todos los días (every day)
mientras (while)
cuando era niño (when I was a child)
generalmente (generally)
a menudo (often)

Examples

🎯 Side-by-Side Comparisons

See how the same situation can be expressed differently depending on your perspective:

Example 1: Eating

📸 Preterite (Completed Action)

Comí tacos ayer

I ate tacos yesterday

Focus: The eating happened and finished

🎥 Imperfect (Habitual Action)

Comía tacos todos los días

I used to eat tacos every day

Focus: The habit of eating tacos regularly

Example 2: Studying

📸 Preterite (Specific Duration)

Estudié por dos horas

I studied for two hours

Focus: Completed 2-hour study session

🎥 Imperfect (Ongoing Action)

Estudiaba cuando sonó el teléfono

I was studying when the phone rang

Focus: Ongoing studying interrupted by phone

Example 3: Mixed Story

🎬 Complete Story with Both Tenses

Context (Imperfect)

Era una noche oscura

It was a dark night

Ongoing (Imperfect)

Caminaba por el parque

I was walking through the park

Interruption (Preterite)

De repente escuché un ruido

Suddenly I heard a noise

Completed Action (Preterite)

Me volví y corrí a casa

I turned around and ran home

Gotchas / Common Mistakes

⚠️ Don't Use Wrong Time Signals!

"Ayer" (yesterday) indicates a specific completed time:

✗ Wrong:

Ayer comía pizza

✓ Correct:

Ayer comí pizza

Yesterday I ate pizza

🔄 No "Usar" for "Used To"

Spanish doesn't use "usar" for "used to" - just use imperfect:

✗ Wrong:

Usé vivir en Madrid

✓ Correct:

Vivía en Madrid

I used to live in Madrid

💡 Age Usually = Imperfect

Age is usually an ongoing state, but birthdays are events:

Tenía 10 años cuando...

I was 10 when... (imperfect)

Cumplí 18 años ayer

I turned 18 yesterday (preterite)

📝 Conocer Changes Meaning!

The tense changes the meaning of "conocer":

Conocí a María ayer

I met María yesterday (preterite = first time)

Conocía a María

I knew María (imperfect = ongoing knowledge)

🔍 Saber Too!

"Saber" also changes meaning with tense:

Supe la verdad

I found out the truth (preterite)

Sabía la verdad

I knew the truth (imperfect)

⏰ Time on Clock = Imperfect

Telling time is always imperfect (ongoing state):

Eran las ocho cuando salí

It was eight o'clock when I left

"Eran" (imperfect) for time, "salí" (preterite) for the action

Quick Test / Mini Quiz

Want more in-depth practice? Try our interactive fill-in-the-blank exercises with 3 progressive lessons covering regular verbs, irregular verbs, and verbs that change meaning!

Useful Resources

🔑

Verbs that Change Meaning in the Preterite

Learn how conocer, saber, querer, poder, and tener take on different meanings in the preterite tense

VerbsB1 Intermediate

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⏰

Practice Preterite vs Imperfect: Fill-in-the-Blank Exercises

Master when to use preterite vs imperfect with 3 progressive exercises covering regular verbs, irregular verbs, and verbs that change meaning

PracticeB1 Intermediate

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Preterite vs Imperfect: When to Use Each