🌱On Holiday

De Vacaciones

A1 · Stage 2 · Week 11~60 minutes

After this lesson, you'll be able to:

  • ✓Conjugate regular -ER/-IR verbs in the preterite
  • ✓Describe a vacation combining all preterite forms
  • ✓Write a short postcard about a trip
  • ✓Use tourist activity vocabulary

Grammar Focus

Essential grammar for this lesson with examples.

Recap: -AR Preterite + Irregular ser/ir/estar

Before learning new preterite forms, let's review what you already know. In Weeks 8 and 9 you learned the preterite of irregular verbs (ser, ir, estar) and regular -AR verbs. These are your building blocks for talking about the past:

Examples:

Compré un billete de tren.I bought a train ticket.
Ana viajó a Valencia.Ana travelled to Valencia.
Fuimos a la estación.We went to the station.
Estuve en Madrid el fin de semana.I was in Madrid at the weekend.
Tip: Quick reminder - irregular preterites: fui/fuiste/fue/fuimos/fuisteis/fueron (ser & ir - same forms!), estuve/estuviste/estuvo/estuvimos/estuvisteis/estuvieron (estar).

Regular -ER/-IR Preterite

Great news - -ER and -IR verbs share the exact same preterite endings! Learn one set and you know both. Remove the -er or -ir ending and add: -í, -iste, -ió, -imos, -isteis, -ieron. Notice the accents on yo (-í) and él/ella (-ió):

comer (to eat) - Preterite

PersonSingularPlural
1st person(yo) comí(nosotros) comimos
2nd person(tú) comiste(vosotros) comisteis
3rd person(él/ella) comió(ellos/ellas) comieron

Examples:

Comí paella en Valencia.I ate paella in Valencia.
¿Bebiste sangría?Did you drink sangria?
Pablo comió tres tapas.Pablo ate three tapas.
Salimos a las ocho de la mañana.We left at eight in the morning.
Tip: The nosotros form of -IR verbs looks the same in present and preterite: "vivimos" can mean "we live" or "we lived." Context tells you which tense it is!

Regular -IR Preterite - Same Endings!

As promised, -IR verbs use exactly the same preterite endings as -ER verbs. Compare comer and vivir side by side - the endings are identical:

vivir (to live) - Preterite

PersonSingularPlural
1st person(yo) viví(nosotros) vivimos
2nd person(tú) viviste(vosotros) vivisteis
3rd person(él/ella) vivió(ellos/ellas) vivieron

Examples:

Viví en Bogotá tres años.I lived in Bogota for three years.
Escribí una postal a mi familia.I wrote a postcard to my family.
¿Saliste anoche?Did you go out last night?
Recibimos tu mensaje.We received your message.
Tip: Count the endings: -í, -iste, -ió, -imos, -isteis, -ieron. Six forms, two sets of verbs (-ER and -IR), all identical. That's efficient!

Key -ER/-IR Verbs in the Preterite

Here are the most useful -ER/-IR verbs you'll need when talking about holidays and experiences. Most are perfectly regular - but watch out for "ver" (to see), which drops its accents:

Examples:

Comimos marisco en el puerto.We ate seafood at the port.
Bebí un zumo de naranja.I drank an orange juice.
Vi la catedral. ¡Es impresionante!I saw the cathedral. It's impressive!
Escribimos postales a nuestros amigos.We wrote postcards to our friends.
Aprendí mucho sobre la historia de Valencia.I learned a lot about the history of Valencia.
Conocí a gente muy simpática.I met very nice people.
Tip: Special case: "ver" (to see) in the preterite is vi, viste, vio, vimos, visteis, vieron - no accents! This is because the forms are so short that accents aren't needed.

All Regular Preterite Summary

Now you know all three regular preterite patterns. Let's see them together. The key insight: -ER and -IR endings are identical, and the "signature vowel" for -AR is different:

All Regular Preterite Endings

-AR (hablar)-ER (comer)-IR (vivir)
(yo)hablécomíviví
(tú)hablastecomisteviviste
(él/ella)hablócomióvivió
(nosotros)hablamoscomimosvivimos
(vosotros)hablasteiscomisteisvivisteis
(ellos/ellas)hablaroncomieronvivieron

Examples:

Hablé con el taquillero. (hablar)I spoke with the ticket seller.
Comimos paella. (comer)We ate paella.
Salieron a las diez. (salir)They left at ten.
Tip: Notice: -AR uses "a" vowel in most endings (-aste, -amos, -asteis, -aron), while -ER/-IR use "i" vowel (-iste, -imos, -isteis, -ieron). The yo and él/ella forms always have an accent.

Describing a Trip (Mixed Preterite Forms)

When describing a trip, you naturally mix all preterite forms - irregular, regular -AR, and regular -ER/-IR. Here's how a trip description sounds using everything you know:

Examples:

Fuimos a Valencia en tren.We went to Valencia by train.
Estuvimos tres días en la ciudad.We were in the city for three days.
Comimos paella en un restaurante del puerto.We ate paella at a restaurant by the port.
Visitamos la Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias.We visited the City of Arts and Sciences.
Salimos a pasear por el casco antiguo.We went out for a stroll through the old town.
Compré recuerdos para mi familia.I bought souvenirs for my family.
Tip: When telling a story, use time markers to connect your sentences: primero (first), después (after), luego (then), por la mañana/tarde/noche (in the morning/afternoon/evening), al final (in the end).

Writing About a Trip (Postcard Format)

Postcards are a perfect way to practice the preterite at A1 level. Follow this simple structure: greeting, where you went, what you did, what you saw and ate, how it was, and farewell:

Examples:

¡Hola desde Valencia!Hello from Valencia!
Llegamos ayer por la tarde.We arrived yesterday afternoon.
Hoy visitamos la catedral y comimos tapas increíbles.Today we visited the cathedral and ate incredible tapas.
¡La ciudad es preciosa! Te echo de menos.The city is beautiful! I miss you.
Tip: Postcard structure: 1) ¡Hola desde [place]! 2) Llegamos/Fuimos... 3) Visitamos/Comimos/Vimos... 4) ¡Es increíble/precioso/genial! 5) Te echo de menos. ¡Hasta pronto!

Conversation Example

Ana and Pablo are on the train back from Valencia, talking about their trip.

Ana
¡Qué viaje tan increíble, Pablo! Me encantó Valencia.What an incredible trip, Pablo! I loved Valencia.
Pablo
Sí, fue genial. ¿Qué fue lo que más te gustó?Yes, it was great. What did you like the most?
Ana
Visitamos la Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias. ¡Es impresionante! Saqué muchas fotos.We visited the City of Arts and Sciences. It's impressive! I took lots of photos.
Pablo
Yo también. Y la paella que comimos en el puerto fue la mejor de mi vida.Me too. And the paella we ate at the port was the best of my life.
Ana
Es verdad. Probé el marisco y estaba delicioso. Bebimos sangría también, ¿no?That's true. I tried the seafood and it was delicious. We drank sangria too, right?
Pablo
¡Claro! Y el segundo día paseamos por el casco antiguo. Conocimos a una pareja colombiana muy simpática.Of course! And on the second day we strolled through the old town. We met a very nice Colombian couple.
Ana
Sí, fueron muy amables. Y compré recuerdos para Diego y Sofía. Escribí una postal para mi mamá también.Yes, they were very kind. And I bought souvenirs for Diego and Sofia. I wrote a postcard for my mom too.
Pablo
Yo compré un regalo para Carmen. Oye, ¿viste el atardecer desde el mirador?I bought a gift for Carmen. Hey, did you see the sunset from the viewpoint?
Ana
¡Sí! Vi el atardecer el último día. Fue el momento más bonito del viaje.Yes! I saw the sunset on the last day. It was the most beautiful moment of the trip.
Pablo
Estuvimos tres días y no fue suficiente. Tenemos que volver.We were there for three days and it wasn't enough. We have to go back.
Ana
Totalmente. Aprendí que Valencia tiene mucho que ofrecer. La próxima vez quiero visitar la Albufera.Totally. I learned that Valencia has a lot to offer. Next time I want to visit the Albufera.
Pablo
Buena idea. Fue un viaje perfecto. ¡Salimos como amigos y volvemos como mejores amigos!Good idea. It was a perfect trip. We left as friends and return as best friends!

🌍 Destinos Populares

Valencia is famous for its futuristic City of Arts and Sciences, the birthplace of paella, and the stunning beaches of La Malvarrosa. Cartagena de Indias, on Colombia's Caribbean coast, enchants visitors with its colorful colonial walled city, Rosario Islands, and vibrant street life. Mexico City dazzles with its Zocalo square, the Frida Kahlo museum in Coyoacan, and the ancient pyramids of Teotihuacan nearby. Cusco, Peru, is the gateway to Machu Picchu and preserves Inca and colonial architecture side by side. Buenos Aires captivates with tango shows in San Telmo, world-class steak in Puerto Madero, and the colorful houses of La Boca. Each destination offers a unique window into Hispanic culture - and now you have the Spanish to describe your adventures!

Want to learn more?

📚Preterite Tense→📚Vocabulary: Travel→