Transcript Verbs that Change Meaning in the Preterite Tense

Verbs that Change Meaning
in the Preterite Tense
Some verbs change their meaning in the preterite tense.
The preterite tense takes the original meaning of the verb and uses it as a “one
time only” definition.
Example: I knew you (imperfect tense). I met you (preterite tense).
Yo te conocía (imperfecto).
Yo te conocí (pretérito).
Verb
Imperfect Meaning
Preterite Meaning
saber
knew
found out, learned
conocer
knew (a person)
met
querer
wanted to
tried to
no querer
didn’t want to
refused to
poder
able to, could
managed to, succeeded