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    Learning Spanish 101

    Receive aemail containing the next unit.
    • Introduction to Spanish
      • 1.1The Spanish Alphabet
      • 1.2Basic Spanish Phrases
      • 1.3Numbers and Dates
    • Basic Grammar
      • 2.1Nouns and Articles
      • 2.2Adjectives
      • 2.3Verbs and Conjugation
    • Everyday Vocabulary
      • 3.1Food and Drinks
      • 3.2Clothing and Colors
      • 3.3Family and Relationships
    • Conversational Spanish
      • 4.1Greetings and Introductions
      • 4.2Asking and Giving Directions
      • 4.3Making Small Talk
    • Intermediate Grammar
      • 5.1Past Tenses
      • 5.2Future Tenses
      • 5.3Conditional Tenses
    • Travel Vocabulary
      • 6.1Transportation
      • 6.2Accommodation
      • 6.3Sightseeing
    • Business Spanish
      • 7.1Office Vocabulary
      • 7.2Business Meetings
      • 7.3Negotiations
    • Spanish Culture
      • 8.1Spanish History
      • 8.2Spanish Traditions
      • 8.3Spanish Cuisine
    • Advanced Grammar
      • 9.1Subjunctive Mood
      • 9.2Imperative Mood
      • 9.3Perfect Tenses
    • Medical Spanish
      • 10.1Medical Vocabulary
      • 10.2Doctor's Appointments
      • 10.3Emergencies
    • Spanish Literature
      • 11.1Famous Spanish Authors
      • 11.2Reading Comprehension
      • 11.3Literary Analysis
    • Spanish in the Media
      • 12.1News Vocabulary
      • 12.2Understanding Spanish TV and Radio
      • 12.3Social Media in Spanish
    • Review and Practice
      • 13.1Grammar Review
      • 13.2Vocabulary Review
      • 13.3Conversational Practice

    Intermediate Grammar

    Introduction to Past Tenses in Spanish

    grammar

    Grammar.

    Understanding the past tenses in Spanish is crucial for effective communication. This unit will introduce you to the two primary past tenses in Spanish: the Preterite and the Imperfect.

    Preterite Tense

    The Preterite tense is used to describe actions that have been completed in the past. These actions have a clear beginning and end.

    Formation

    Regular verbs in the preterite tense are conjugated as follows:

    • AR verbs: -é, -aste, -ó, -amos, -asteis, -aron
    • ER/IR verbs: -í, -iste, -ió, -imos, -isteis, -ieron

    For example, the verb "hablar" (to talk) in preterite is: hablé, hablaste, habló, hablamos, hablasteis, hablaron.

    Usage

    The preterite tense is used to describe:

    • Completed actions in the past: "Yo hablé con mi madre ayer" (I talked to my mother yesterday).
    • A series of completed actions: "Me levanté, me duché y desayuné" (I got up, showered, and had breakfast).

    Imperfect Tense

    The Imperfect tense is used to describe ongoing or incomplete actions in the past. These actions do not have a clear beginning or end.

    Formation

    Regular verbs in the imperfect tense are conjugated as follows:

    • AR verbs: -aba, -abas, -aba, -ábamos, -abais, -aban
    • ER/IR verbs: -ía, -ías, -ía, -íamos, -íais, -ían

    For example, the verb "comer" (to eat) in imperfect is: comía, comías, comía, comíamos, comíais, comían.

    Usage

    The imperfect tense is used to describe:

    • Habitual or repeated actions: "Cuando era niño, jugaba al fútbol todos los días" (When I was a child, I used to play football every day).
    • Descriptions of people, things, or conditions: "Era un día soleado" (It was a sunny day).

    Differences between Preterite and Imperfect Tenses

    The key difference between these two tenses lies in the nature of the actions they describe. The preterite tense is used for actions that are seen as completed, while the imperfect tense describes ongoing or incomplete actions in the past.

    By understanding and practicing these tenses, you will be able to express a wide range of past actions and situations in Spanish. Remember, practice makes perfect, so keep practicing these tenses in different contexts to gain fluency.

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    Next up: Future Tenses