Transcript Preterit Tense

Preterit Tense
Two Ways to Talk About the
Past
• Preterit
– Completed past actions
• Imperfect
– Actions that were ongoing
The preterit tense is used to talk about
past events unless it is important to
mention that they were ongoing.
Consider the following examples:
• He broke the window.
• We went to the store.
• My friend called.
• They ate out last night.
When it is important to mention that an
event was ongoing, repeated, or not
completed, the preterit tense is not
used—the imperfect tense is used.
Consider the following examples:
• We went to Florida every summer
when I was a kid.
• We used to sit on the porch and watch
the sunset.
Preterit or Imperfect?
Decide whether each of the following would
require the preterit tense.
1. Manuel ate a sandwich for lunch.
2. Manual ate a sandwich everyday after
school when he was in grade school.
3. The students took a test last Friday.
4. The students took a test after every chapter.
5. They used to go camping a lot.
6. I hit a home run in the last game.
7. Did you stay with your grandparents much?
Preterit or Imperfect?
Decide whether each of the following would
require the preterit tense.
1. Manuel ate a sandwich for lunch.
2. Manual ate a sandwich everyday after
school when he was in grade school.
3. The students took a test last Friday.
4. The students took a test after every chapter.
5. They used to go camping a lot.
6. I hit a home run in the last game.
7. Did you stay with your grandparents much?
–AR Verb Endings in the
Preterit
-é
-aste
-ó
-amos
X
-aron
Verbs that are stem-changers in the present tense
typically are not stem-changers in the preterit tense.
–AR Verb Endings in the
Preterit
tomé tomamos
tomaste
X
tomó tomaron
Verbs that are stem-changers in the present tense
typically are not stem-changers in the preterit tense.
Hoy Manuel habla con Diego.
Ayer Manuel ___________ con Susana.
Hoy Manuel habla con Diego.
Ayer Manuel habló con Susana.
Hoy Isabela busca un trabajo.
Ayer Isabela __________una mascota.
Hoy Isabela busca un trabajo.
Ayer Isabela buscó una mascota.
Hoy los muchachos juegan a
básquetbol.
Ayer los muchachos _________ al fútbol.
Hoy los muchachos juegan a
básquetbol.
Ayer los muchachos jugaron al fútbol.
Hoy nosotros miramos la tele.
Ayer nosotros __________ una película.
Hoy nosotros miramos la tele.
Ayer nosotros miramos una película.
Este año yo estudio el español.
El año pasado yo __________ el español.
Este año yo estudio el español.
El año pasado yo estudié el español.
–ER and –IR Verb Endings in the
Preterit
-í
-iste
-ió
-imos
X
-ieron
Verb Endings in the Preterit
-ar
-é
-aste
-ó
-amos
X
-aron
-er/-ir
-í
-imos
-iste
X
-ió
-ieron